Hey There, Hollywood
by LoveACullen
Summary: Bella Monroe is a teen celebrity singer/actress, always busy with her work schedule. Her brother, Emmett, on the other hand, is a normal teenager, living a normal life. What happens when Bella decides to take a small break from her life in L.A. to come visit her brother in Forks? Will she fall for his best friend, the green-eyed hottie?
1. Chapter 1

**So, I recently started remembering this story idea that I'd had a few years ago, and decided to finally write it all down. **

**I'm really nervous for the feedback, because I'm not entirely sure that it'll turn out alright. But I hope you guys enjoy :)**

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Chapter 1

Emmett

"Hollywood starlet Bella Monroe recently sat down with us for an interview about her role in the upcoming film sequel to 'The Hunger Games'," the tall, brunette E! News host spoke, before continuing.

"The sequel which is based off of the book, 'Catching Fire', is said to be all kinds of exciting, due to the heavy amounts of action _and_ romance in it," by this time, Alice was falling off of her seat in anticipation.

"Throughout the interview, Bella remained coy in giving out details of the movie, but was kind enough to drop a few small hints. _And_, when asked about her costar Jacob Black, she smoothly avoided the topic, saying that they were 'nothing more than friends'."

"However, these recent pictures of the two hugging outside of an L.A. café prove otherwise, fueling rumours that the two teens are secretly dating," the host smirked a little as the camera zoomed in on an image of a tall, black-haired, Native American guy [Jacob Black] hugging Bella, while she clearly looked as if she wanted to pull away.

"Bullshit," I rolled my eyes at the newswoman, knowing full well that Bella would never date a guy like that. She just wasn't the type of girl who would fall for someone like that.

And how, might you ask, would I know that?

Well, because – much to the shock of probably everyone - I'm her brother.

Our parents, Charlie and Renée Swan – now, Renée Monroe – split up when I was five, and Bella was four. When this had occurred, they'd both agreed that I would stay in Forks with my father, while Bella would leave to go to Los Angeles with my mother.

They'd figured that Bella would need a mother more than a father, while I would need precisely the opposite.

It was a few years later in L.A. that Renée soon fell in love with a big-time Hollywood lawyer, Phil Monroe, who she'd finally decided to settle down with and marry.

Bella hadn't initially wanted to change her name, but when she'd started auditioning and getting chosen for major movie roles, she'd decided that it would be best to protect both my father's identity and mine.

Of course, we hadn't asked her to, but in the long run, we were both really grateful that she had. Charlie was an extremely private person, who wouldn't be able to handle any form of a spotlight. And, me…well, I was all for it. But I did value having a normal, teenage life – something that my sister hadn't been lucky enough to have.

My friends didn't treat me differently because I was Bella Monroe's brother. They surprisingly liked me for me: buff, curly-haired, goofball Emmett.

The only one who knew about any of this was my long-time girlfriend, Rosalie Hale. And I had only told her when I felt like we were serious enough about each other - not wanting to keep something this huge from her.

Secrets are a big no-no for a healthy relationship, according to several fashion magazines that have been shoved in my face for the past few years – courtesy of Rose and Alice.

And since I'm giving you a play-by-play of my life, I might as well tell you a little bit about my friends.

Firstly, there's Jasper Hale. He was a senior in high school with me, and just graduated this summer to attend Dartmouth University.

In terms of appearance, he's tall, and lean, with blond hair and grey eyes. Jasper's actually one of the few people that always seems to be calm and collected no matter what – definitely the mediator in times of conflict at school. He's been one of my best buds since middle school.

It was actually because of Jasper that I even got to know Rosalie, due to the fact that they're cousins – hence the same last names.

Secondly, there's Edward Cullen. He, too, has been one of my good friends for as long as I can remember. He's one of the tallest guys in my group of friends, more muscular than Jasper, with unruly bronze hair and green eyes. We're polar opposites in terms of personality – which I guess is why we've always stayed so close.

Edward's quite shy and reserved, and always has his head buried in either his schoolwork or a book. But, I can't say that he's a _total_ nerd, due to the fact that he plays football for Forks High – he used to play alongside Jasper and me, up until the two of us graduated a month ago. But Edward's still going to be playing next year, seeing as he only just finished his junior year of high school.

Even though he's a year younger than me, I have to admit that he's one of the most mature guys that I know.

But I'm getting sidetracked. Next, there's my girlfriend, Rosalie Hale. She's tall, blonde, and beautiful, with stormy grey eyes. She's also extremely smart, and is definitely less of a girly-girl than Alice. I mean, any time my car gives trouble, I completely bypass the mechanic and send it straight to her – she's even been accepted into some prestigious college to study engineering.

Rosalie's definitely a tough girl, who can take care of herself if she needs to – which is actually very useful when she's such a bombshell.

We first got together in our freshman year of high school, and I'm proud to say that we've been inseparable since then.

I know, without a doubt, that I'm in love with her. There's just no one in my eyes that can compare to her. Apologies for the sappiness, but it's true.

Last, but not least, there's Alice Brandon – who I mentioned briefly before. She's been Rosalie's best friend since kindergarten, and has therefore been one of my good friends since I initially got to know Rosalie in middle school. One word that basically sums up how she looks is… well - to put it lightly - pixie; what with her cropped, spiky black hair, small height, and feisty personality.

She's definitely not someone that you want to have on your bad side, but she can also be a really caring person, and one who always stands up for something she believes in.

She, like Edward, is only now entering her senior year in high school. Oh, and she's also dating Jasper Hale.

Alice is actually the only other one of my friends who has even an inkling that I have a sister. And that's only because she has this weird intuition about things like that – if I wasn't a non-believer, I'd almost think that she was psychic.

"Why don't you think that she's dating Jacob Black?" Alice asked suspiciously. Lately, she'd been firing questions like these at me, almost as if she'd finally figured it all out, and all she wanted was for me to confirm it.

It was always like this; sometimes I'd slip up and say something that would link me to having some sort of connection with Bella, and then I'd have to quickly brush it off and hope no one realized. Knowing that I couldn't tell Alice the truth without the rest of my friends hearing, I just shrugged exasperatedly, "Just _because_. She wouldn't ever go for a guy like that."

Uh oh. Too late, I realized that I really shouldn't have said that last part.

"_Oh_, and how would you know _that_?" Alice asked, black eyebrows practically reaching her hairline. She had me cornered there.

At this point, Rosalie was looking at me with an expression that said, "Are you really going to tell them?" while Edward and Jasper were looking up from the video game they were playing, curiosity etched on each of their faces.

I didn't know what to do, or say at this point.

Should I finally tell them? Or make up yet another lie?

I didn't honestly think that their perception of me would change in any way if they found out, simply because they'd all known me for such a long time. And I knew for a fact that they'd never tell a soul.

So the real question was: why _didn't_ I want to tell them? At this point, I had no reason not to. Wasn't it time that I finally told them? I mean, I'd known all of them since I was twelve, and I trusted all of them with my life.

They were going to find out one day, anyway.

I shrugged mentally, _oh, what the hell?_

"Fine. Do you really wanna know why I act this way every time Bella comes on the screen? Why I 'know' these things about her?" I questioned, folding my arms across my chest. I felt Rosalie move from her spot besides Alice to stand next to me, putting a hand on my back comfortingly.

A round of nods went through the room, making me throw my hands up in the air like, "Okay, _fine._"

"It's because she's my sister. Bella Monroe is my sister," I confessed, only to be met with two looks of utter disbelief, and one of pure smugness. You can guess which looks belonged to whom.

"Yeah, and my grandmother is the Queen of England," Jasper joked, as Edward chuckled along with him, going back to their game.

"Look man. It's cool. I know how Alice gets when someone makes up a rumor about Ryan Gosling. She acts like if she knows him personally, which is kind of what you're doing now with Bella. You don't have to be embarrassed and make up such a ridiculous lie, just to explain your actions," Jasper looked at me calmly, while nodding.

_You have got to be kidding me. _

I had known that it would hard to convince them that I was telling the truth. I mean, when I had told Rosalie, I'd had to explain my whole life story to her before she'd finally started believing that I wasn't simply out of my mind.

But I had a feeling that convincing Edward and Jasper was going to be an entirely different challenge. Alice, thankfully, wasn't an issue. In fact, she was practically patting herself on the back for having 'known my secret all along'.

"I know it's really far-fetched, but she is. I wouldn't joke about something like this. Our parents got divorced when we were little, way before I even knew any of you existed. My mom, Renée, took Bella to L.A., and after a few years, she started making a name for herself. She changed her surname so that Charlie and I didn't have to live in any form of spotlight. And, well, it worked," I explained, slightly out of breath as I unsuccessfully tried to convince my two friends.

Edward frowned, looked apologetically at me, "I want to believe you, Emmett. But I can't really know for sure that what you're telling me isn't all just a made-up story. You have to understand where I'm coming from."

I closed my eyes, putting my hands on my face in frustration. This was going to be harder than I'd initially thought.

"Emmett, why don't you just video call her?" Alice suggested, making my head snap up towards her. Huh, the pixie actually had a really good idea.

I nodded my head, deciding to message Bella first to make sure that I wasn't disturbing her before going to Skype call her.

All the while, my friends looked anxiously at me as if I were a fragile doll.

I only rolled my eyes at them, knowing full-well that in a few seconds, they'd be apologizing for not believing me.

Soon after getting the 'okay' from Bella, I walked across the game room in my house, to my laptop, typing in my password before going over to the Skype application.

It wasn't long before I was highlighting her name and clicking the 'Video Call' button.

By this time, my friends were all sitting behind my desk chair, actually looking surprised as to how far I was taking this. Wow, to think that they _still_ didn't believe me.

"Hey. Oh, hi Rosalie! What's up?" a voice floated from my speaker before a picture soon appeared of Bella on her laptop, smiling at a desk in her room.

Rosalie waved back, smiling as much as Bella, while the rest of my friends were blinking in shock and pinching themselves to make sure they weren't simply in a daydream. Both Edward and Jasper were spluttering, while Alice's jaw had dropped open in shock.

From what I could tell, Bella was sitting in her bedroom, on the wooden desk adjacent to her king-sized bed. The room looked about the same from when I had visited last year, with interchanging grey and navy blue walls, white furniture, and elaborate décor.

Suddenly though, Bella noticed the three gaping faces in the screen, and a suspicious turned thoughtful turned comprehending look formed on her face, "So… I'm guessing that you finally told your friends?"

Then she shocked them even further when she moved a stray piece of hair away from her face, "Wait, so… let me see if I can get this right: you're Jasper. You're Alice. And you're…Edward."

She pointed to each of them, as all of their eyes widened.

"And you're Bella Monroe," Edward said, eyes wide, as if the truth was only now finally settling in.

Bella smiled, nodding, "Yup, the one and only. Wait, scratch that - I sound vain." She whispered the last part to herself, making us all chuckle lightly at her.

Jasper soon spoke slowly, as if still processing this whole thing, "And you're _Emmett's_ sister?"

I looked at him, my expression unimpressed, "Seriously? Is it _that_ hard to believe?"

Edward and Jasper practically yelled, "Yes!"

Bella laughed then, completely amused at my friends, "Yes, I'm Emmett's sister. Even though we don't look anything alike, we are completely, 100% related. I can get a DNA test to prove it. I just live with our mom and stepdad, while he lives with our dad. It's been that way since, about… 14 years ago?"

I nodded in confirmation, as she smiled reminiscently.

"So, you guys have kept in contact all these years?" Alice asked with wonder, only to be met with Bella and me grinning.

I nodded, "We visit each other at least once a year, usually at a location that we decide on, to protect us from the paparazzi and stuff. I surprised her last year in L.A. though. Other than that, we just Skype each other, or text."

"Wow, it's pretty amazing that you guys have stayed so close. I mean, the distance is pretty crazy, but also the difference in lifestyles. That's really cool," Edward was speaking thoughtfully, more to himself than anything, but Bella still thanked him.

I grinned when he looked a little dazed.

* * *

We all began talking then; breaking the ice in a way, and it was a while before I actually took in Bella's appearance. It was then that my older brother protective instinct instantly kicked in when I saw that her eyes had light purple marks under them – a clear sign of sleep deprivation.

But, although her eyes looked tired, Bella otherwise looked put-together as always.

Her long, mahogany hair was flat-ironed, and her face had traces of make-up, leading me to the assumption that she had just come back from an event of the sorts. However, she was dressed comfortably in an oversized sweater and skinny jeans, so I guessed that she had arrived home a long time ago.

"Have you gotten any time to rest lately?" I asked her, going back to her eyes, already knowing full well what her answer would be, once she cringed.

"Emmett, I only have time these days for naps. Every time I'm about to get some sleep, something comes up. And it's almost _always_ important. I just- I don't want to disappoint anyone by cancelling," she said, slightly uncomfortable with all of my friends listening and watching so intently.

Noticing this, Edward made a head motion to Jasper and Alice, who soon dispersed around the room, going back to what they had been doing before; thereby giving us some privacy.

However, they couldn't help but sneak glances at the computer screen every once in a while to confirm that this whole thing wasn't all some weird dream they were going to wake up from.

Rosalie spoke up, "Bella, you're just gonna end up letting _everyone_ down when you crash and burn from exhaustion. Have you thought of taking a break? Not a long one… just for the rest of the summer. It'd be like if you were just a normal teenager going on vacation from school."

I actually had to do a double-take at what Rosalie was suggesting – it was pure brilliance, actually. I agreed with her, asking Bella why she didn't just do that.

"I don't know… I mean, obviously it'd be really nice to get away from all this for a little while. And I'm not really working on anything that huge at the moment," Bella's eyebrows scrunched together as she pondered the idea for a few minutes.

And then an invisible light bulb went off in my head,

"Um, Bella? Why don't you just come to Forks?"

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**A/N: So, I know that that's possibly the worst way to end a chapter, but I felt like I didn't want to write too much before I got some of your thoughts. **

**So… what do you guys think? Should I keep going?**

**Xoxo**

**LoveACullen**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to: **_**roselally, Far-Longer-Than-Forever, Brinkleydeelite, Lessthanthreeanime, theresa24, Rosie Bluejay, xxlovethisxx, Twilight RoeiSim23, jasminwilson12, TwilightPixieFairy, ahsimac, Crisselle (Guest), thelionismine, cbmorefie, RoseNEmmettForever, TwiSam1989, juney83uk, TwilightxHPotterxPJackson, Kirsty (Guest), Monyetta, **_**and 1 **_**Guest, **_**for being my first reviewers for this story :)**

**Wow 21 reviews, 20 favs, and 29 follows! Thank you so much!**

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Chapter 2

Bella

"Um, Bella? Why don't you just come to Forks?" Emmett spoke, causing my mouth to drop open, along with just about all of his friends'.

"Seriously, it's a small town; it's the complete opposite of L.A., which is exactly what you need right now," he plowed on, trying to convince me to take this vacation to Forks.

I tried smiling, but I'm sure that it ended up looking like more of a grimace than anything.

The last time I'd been to Forks was when I was four – when my parents had split up. Sure, I'd visited my dad and brother throughout the years… just, never in Forks. I'd always met them elsewhere.

I wouldn't venture to say that Forks brought back painful memories for me, because honestly, I was over my parents' divorce. It had been over fourteen years, and I was now so used to seeing my mom with Phil, and my dad – well, he still hadn't found someone, but I was certain that he soon would – that it would be odd to see them together again.

But, at the same time, I couldn't say that it wouldn't be weird to see Charlie minus Renée at the place where they had always been together in my eyes.

_Wow, I'm making no sense whatsoever_. I was confused at my own thoughts: it'd be strange to see my parents together, but similarly, it'd be strange to see them apart? I mentally shook my head.

And then there was the fact that I'd be in completely unfamiliar territory with respect to my brother. I mean, he would have his own friends to hang out with, and I'd feel like a burden if I were to intrude.

Not that they weren't lovely people – from what I could see, they all seemed really funny and sweet, and loyal.

But, what if they didn't like me?

I stretched my hands out in front of me, "I see where you're coming from, and _truthfully_, I do think that it'd be good for me to come visit. But…"

I left the sentence hanging, not exactly knowing how to phrase how I felt.

"But?" Emmett prodded, not allowing me to just leave it at that.

"I don't know. I'll think about it, and I'll talk to Mom about it, and find out how she feels," I decided that that would be a good way to do things. I couldn't make any rash decisions without my mom's approval anyway, because that would just end up backfiring in my face.

Emmett understood that part, nodding, "Okay, but don't take too long deciding.

"Oh, and just by the way, we'd be really happy if you came – me and Dad, I mean. Plus, you'd get to finally see what I do on a daily basis during vacations."

He grinned at the end, obviously trying to make me see why going to Forks would be such a wonderful idea. I laughed freely, "Alright, Em. I'll talk to you later."

Emmett nodded, just as I clicked the 'End' button on the Skype call. I breathed deeply, thinking about the pros and cons of going.

I knew that there weren't any _real_ cons in going on this trip, besides the fact that I'd be missing work. But, even then, I wouldn't particularly be skipping out on anything huge and life changing.

_Why didn't I want to go again?_

Oh, right. Because I was a coward who was afraid of feeling out of my element.

I rolled my eyes at myself, before heading downstairs where I was certain that my mom was already getting ready to go to a meeting.

And, I was right.

Renée was dressed in a black pantsuit, with a white blouse underneath. Her straight, jet-black hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, and her Louis Vuitton handbag hung on her arm. Meanwhile, she was texting away on her BlackBerry, whilst simultaneously conversing with someone else on her iPhone.

Boy, did she know how to multitask.

I took a seat at the marble counter in the kitchen, greeting my housekeeper, before deciding to check Twitter while waiting on my mom.

A smile immediately found its way on my face as I skimmed through my mentions, seeing all of the kind and kooky things that my fans wrote me. Obviously, in the midst of the sweet words, there was always hate, but I usually had a relatively easy time ignoring it or blocking it out.

The positivity ruled out the negativity.

Quickly retweeting and replying to some of my most dedicated fans, I soon paused when I heard my mom's conversation coming to a close.

"Bella, I'm off to a meeting. Do you want me to meet you somewhere for dinner?" my mom was still texting on her phone, but after realizing my lack of response, she immediately looked up.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Renée dropped her phone into her handbag, before resting it down and coming to sit on the opposite side of the counter – giving me her full attention.

I smiled unconsciously smoothly replying with, "Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine. I, um, I had a conversation with Emmett just now, and I don't know, it ended up turning into him inviting me to come to Forks for a few weeks."

My mom was taken aback at that, but kept her expression calm and mellow, probably pondering whether I'd be able to go or not.

"Well, you don't start touring until October, and the only big photo-shoots that you're scheduled for are in September. So, if you wanted to go for the rest of July and into August, that really wouldn't be a problem – work-wise. But I'm sure you already knew that, so what's really bothering you about the whole thing?"

She really knew me like an open-book, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't love her for it.

I shrugged, "I haven't been to Forks in ages, and sure, I've visited Dad and Emmett in other places. But it's going to be so different actually staying with them in their own home – where they have their own lives. I don't know, I just imagine that it'd be awkward to barge in on them like that."

"But you're not barging in on them, Bella. They're _inviting_ you to come stay. They _want_ you there," my mom corrected me, a smile on her face.

I squirmed, "Still..."

Renée sighed, thinking for a minute, before, "Okay, think of it this way. When Emmett came to visit you here in L.A. last year, was it unsettling to you?"

"Well, no, but-" she cut me off before I could say anything more.

"But what? You had your friends here, but you included your brother in everything, every step of the way. He never once felt uncomfortable or unwanted, and you never once felt stressed out in taking him places and having him around. Don't you think it's going to be just like that if you were to visit him?"

I sighed. _She had a point. A very, very good point. _

"You two are very close, so whatever you decide, I'm sure Emmett would be fine with it. I'm just saying that I don't think it would be such a bad thing for you to hang out with some regular teenagers for once. But, again, I'm not pressuring you into going. I'm just trying to make you see that you have nothing to worry about," my mom finished, looking at me earnestly.

I nodded, suddenly feeling stupid for dumping all of this on my mom when it obviously wasn't anything I should've been anxious about in the first place.

"You're right. I guess I was just nervous for no reason. Thanks for the advice, Mom. I really appreciate it," I smiled at her, knowing that without her help, my decision to go to Forks wouldn't have been so easy.

Of course, there was still the issue of 'protecting Emmett's identity'. It would get a whole lot harder if someone recognized me and noticed that I was staying by Emmett. But, I guessed that that was something that we would just have to work around once I got there.

Renée covered my hand with hers, "That's what I'm here for. Please, never be afraid to come to me if you need anything. Don't ever keep anything bottled up."

Renée smiled, until she heard the sound of her phone ringing, "But if that's all, I really should get going to meet that music producer."

I smiled right back, "Sure, go ahead. Thanks again, Mom." She hugged me lightly before disappearing out the front door. It was only a few seconds before I heard the sound of her Range Rover pulling out of the gravelly driveway.

_I guess I've made my decision then, _I thought. _Better go check some flights and make a booking. _

* * *

So, fun fact: there are no airports in Forks.

In order to get there, I would have to take a direct flight from L.A. to Port Angeles – a town just about an hour away from Forks. Then, I'd have to drive to Forks.

I wondered how Emmett and Charlie did this every time they travelled.

Regardless, I still hadn't called Emmett back and told him the good news. Instead, I'd decided to take the time to start packing all the stuff I'd need in Forks – A.K.A. ten million sweaters and jackets.

That town basically rained more than… I didn't even know what to compare it to.

When I finally slipped in the last of my clothes into my suitcase, I decided to pick up my cell and dial Emmett's number.

You could imagine my surprise when a voice that didn't belong to Emmett picked up. "Hello?" a deep, velvety tone floated through the handset.

And even though I hadn't heard that person utter more twenty words, I already knew in an instant who it was. This conversation was suddenly going to be a lot harder.

"Edward? Hi, it's Bella. Is Emmett busy?" I breathed a mental sigh of relief when I realized that I hadn't stuttered or stumbled once. _That would've been embarrassing. _

If you hadn't guessed it already, I might've developed a teeny, tiny crush on Edward in the few minutes that I'd seen him on my computer monitor.

_That sounded even more pathetic that I'd initially thought._

"Oh, h-hey. Um, yeah, we just came back from the gym, so he's just freshening up. Would you like me to leave him a message?" Edward spoke courteously, making me bite my lip as I smiled unconsciously.

But then I actually processed what he had said, and basically had to close my eyes to force images of Edward working on his seemingly muscular biceps at the gym out of my head.

_God, what was wrong with me? Why the hell was I fantasizing about one of my brother's best friends? Not cool, Bella, not cool. _

But I couldn't help it. I mean, what was there _not_ to like in Edward Cullen? First off, he was undeniably the most gorgeous person I'd ever seen in my life – and I'd seen plenty of young, Hollywood bachelors. With his silky-looking, interestingly toned bronze hair, piercing green eyes, angular nose, and prominent jawline, he was unbelievably good-looking.

And then there was the fact that he was incredibly well mannered and polite. I hadn't missed the fact that when I'd felt uncomfortable speaking to the group of Emmett's friends the day before, Edward had immediately picked up on it and silently urged them to give us some space.

I also knew from Emmett that he was smart and loyal, and honestly, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to get to know him better.

But at the same time, I was sure that with qualities like his, he already had a girlfriend.

Oddly, that thought irked me, but I willed myself to brush it off. I_ could not develop feelings for him._

I shook my head; trying unsuccessfully to clear it, "Sure, thank you. Well, I spoke to my mom, and we both decided that it'd be a great idea for me to come to Forks for the rest of the summer. Could you tell him that?"

I was ready to hang up, when Edward replied, a hint of nervousness in his voice, "Would you mind me asking why you were so reluctant in coming here before?" I could tell that he was anxious that he was stepping over his boundaries or something, but I wasn't bothered by the question at all.

I normally would've answered anyone else with, "It was nothing," completely brushing it off. But something about Edward just made me feel unnaturally comfortable, and before I knew it, I was telling him everything that I'd told my mom.

Which is weird, seeing as I barely even knew him. _Seriously, what was wrong with me?_

Still, he said that he understood where I was coming from towards the end of my story. And I was grateful for that, because thinking back on it, I thought my reasons for not wanting to come were childish and stupid.

"But _do_ you want to come to Forks? Now, I mean." he asked, concern ringing through in his voice.

I blinked, wondering if he was this thoughtful to everyone he spoke to – and surprisingly, not finding that too hard to believe.

I grinned, because he'd never know why my answer was such a strong, certain, "Yes."

I knew that I definitely wanted to get to know Edward better. I also knew that it'd probably only be as friends, but for now, I was all right with that.

"I'm sorry for bothering you with all of my questions. That was really rude of me," Edward sounded guilty, and I could almost picture him wearing a frown on his face. I bet he still looked cute, though.

_Ugh, stop it, Bella. _

"No, really. It's fine. It was nice talking to you," I replied honestly, knowing that 'nice' wasn't an accurate word for describing how it felt talking to Edward, but deciding that I didn't want to freak him out.

"You too. I'll relay the message onto Emmett. And, I guess I'll see you soon, Bella," Edward said goodbye, allowing me to reply before hanging up.

I threw my head back against my pillows, sighing like a teenage girl after a first date.

For a celebrity, I seriously needed to get out more.

Taking a few deep breaths and getting my heartbeat back to its original pace, I decided to call a quick hangout with all of my friends, as I wouldn't be seeing them for the next three or four weeks.

Lizzie, one of my closest friends, who was originally from England, was the first to reply. Obviously, she was sad that I wasn't going to be around for the next few weeks, but at the same time, she was also used to it because it was almost the same thing when I went on tours – a lot of the times, even worse.

It was the plan that we'd go out for sushi that night, along with a few of my other friends.

* * *

"So I hear that you're dating Jacob Black?" Talon, one of my friends from childhood, joked, stuffing a California roll into his mouth.

My eyes narrowed immediately. All of my friends found the utmost humor in my 'dating' life – or my lack thereof – and it was entirely unamusing to me.

"Shut up," I resisted the urge to throw one of my own rolls at him, just as all of my friends burst out laughing.

"C'mon Bella, seriously though, why don't you go out with him? I mean, he is H-O-T, _and _he seems really sweet," Anna asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Josh, another one of my closest friends from childhood, had been dating Anna for over a year now, and so, she had recently been ordained into our group of friends.

It was funny how it had started off with just Talon, Josh, Luke, Kelsey and me, progressively growing into them with their respective partners, plus me.

"Um, first of all: ew. Second of all: he's not even _that_ cute. Third of all: _ew," _I shuddered, making her scowl at my obvious lack of a valid explanation.

I sighed, having not wanted to go into any details, but seeing no other option at this point, "Fine. Yes, what you said is all true. He really is a great person, and I'm sure that he'd make an even better boyfriend… just not of mine. There isn't anything wrong with him as a person, but I just don't feel any sort of connection or serious attraction to him. So, it could never work." I shrugged at the end, earning several thoughtful nods around the table.

We were all in a private room at one of the more exclusive sushi bars in Los Angeles, sitting at a table of seven people: me, Talon, Kelsey, Josh, Anna, Luke, and Luke's girlfriend, Lizzie. I'd been the one to introduce Luke and Lizzie to each other.

"What about Forks? Do you reckon there would be any cute guys there?" Lizzie asked, her British accent stronger than ever in this group of Americans.

I couldn't help it; my thoughts immediately flew to Edward, causing my cheeks to bloom pink. Of course, I soon wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out as the three girls in the group gasped, asking, "Oh my gosh, _who_?"

I waved my hands in the air at the girls and even the boys, who looked intrigued, "No one, really. He's just one of my brother's friends who's pretty cute. I barely even know him – there's really nothing to say."

I defended myself, knowing that if I hadn't done so, more questions would've been fired at me.

The girls still looked suspicious.

"But Bella, this is huge! Your standards are usually so high that it's almost impossible for a guy to even be 'attractive' in your books. This guy must really be hot," Kelsey spoke, earning several eyebrow raises from everyone around the table.

Only one statement really stood out to me in her whole reply, so I replied with an offended, "My standards aren't _that_ high!"

Everyone looked at each other, rolling their eyes, "Sure, _right._"

"Jacob Black is one of the most good-looking guys in Hollywood right now, and you said that he wasn't '_that cute'_. Let's be real, Bella," Lizzie shook her head at me, making me ponder it before frowning.

"Huh, I really hadn't ever noticed that – I guess you're right, after all. That's _bad,_" I made a face, cringing.

Kelsey shook her head, immediately diffusing my worries, "No, actually. Not really. It allows you to not date any and every one. Which is really good."

She smiled reassuringly at me, and I couldn't help but smile back. I really was thankful for my small group of friends. I mean, it was so hard to trust anyone these days in Hollywood. But I'd known my friends for a long time now. Even Josh's girlfriend, whom I knew the least in my group of friends, had earned my trust after I realized that she wouldn't ever sell out information on me.

It was only about half an hour later that we all decided to leave and get some sleep, especially me since I was supposed to be flying out to Forks the next day.

I texted Emmett my flight details, soon getting possibly the most enthusiastic reply _ever_, before changing into my pajamas and getting under my duvet.

Tomorrow was certainly going to be a _long_ day.

* * *

**A/N: So, I know that this chapter wasn't all that. But I want to build up the story as much as I can, and make it semi-realistic. I hope that the Bella/Edward phone conversation was alright?**

**Thanks again for all the reviews! I hope to receive some more for this chapter… (hint, hint)**

**Xoxo**

**LoveACullen **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to: **_**Mary (Guest), Twilight RoeiSim23, crissy cullen, TwilightxHPotterxPJackson, RedLetter4You, TheTwilightSagaIsAmazing, cbmorefie, ahsimac, RosieBluejay, RoseNEmmettForever, twilight edward twilight (Guest), theresa24, roselally, thelionismine, Monyetta, TwilightPixieFairy, Bebeyeah,**_** and **_**Far-Longer-Than-Forever**_**, for reviewing. **

**This chapter will be Edward's Point of View from the time when Bella was having that big conversation with Renée :)**

* * *

Chapter 3

Edward

Bella Monroe was Emmett Swan's sister. I blinked, still trying to wrap my mind around the whole revelation.

Bella Monroe. My celebrity crush, Bella Monroe.

Oh, _God._

And I'd acted like a total idiot when I'd seen her on Skype:

"_And you're Bella Monroe." _

Even thinking about the one sentence I'd said to her was making me want to do a face palm. But, I mean, I couldn't help it; when I'd first seen her, I'd gone absolutely speechless. And when she'd said my name – well, let's just say that the little coherency I'd had left just went straight out the window.

I shook my head. I couldn't be thinking about her like this. Not only was she completely unreachable, but she was also my best friend's sister. Sure, Emmett was one of my closest friends, but I was pretty sure he wouldn't be dancing on rainbows if he found out about my crush on Bella.

Rubbing a hand over my face, I unconsciously shut my eyes. But I soon realized too late what a mistake that had been, because without a moment's notice, I was projected to a few hours ago when I'd initially seen Bella on Emmett's laptop screen.

_No, no, do _not_ think about her, Edward. _

But for once in my life, I ignored that little voice of logic in my head, suppressing a small smile when an image of Bella's smiling face waving to the webcam flashed through my mind.

Her natural, dark brown hair had been flat-ironed so that it fell smoothly, framing her heart-shaped face and reaching mid-back. Her eyes, which upon closer inspection had looked slightly tired with the purple circles under them, still managed to be a deep, chocolate brown that I could gladly get lost in any day.

I had watched her petite nose wrinkle while her eyebrows had furrowed at several points in the call when she'd been confused.

And lastly, in moments when her entire face had lit up and her plump, red lips had pulled up into a smile, an unfamiliar thud had gone through my heart.

"Hey man, you okay?" Jasper asked, looking up from a war history book he was reading after noticing my silence.

Emmett, Jasper, and I were currently all lounging around Emmett's living room – the girls had left to go hang out on their own after all the excitement of this morning.

Emmett was browsing through his phone, while I was simply sitting on one of the black leather couches, mulling my thoughts over.

"Yeah, I'm great," I moved my hand away from my face, playing the whole thing off as me simply being sleepy.

"You know, what? I'm bored as hell," Emmett said, locking his phone, before standing up.

"Jasper, you game for some Call of Duty?" he turned to look at Jasper, who promptly shut his book, following Emmett's lead.

"Wait, but aren't you banned from playing?" I questioned, eyebrows raised. Emmett had gotten slightly obsessed with the game after buying the new edition a few weeks ago.

Rosalie, noticing this - along with everyone else - had stopped him from playing the game and given strict instructions for us boys to make sure that he didn't go behind her back and restart.

Not that I wanted to be a party pooper and order Emmett to stay put, but Rosalie scared the living daylights out of me when she was pissed.

"Who said Rosalie has to know? Look, we're just gonna play one game. If Rosalie calls, tell her… I'm in the shower," he then proceeded to throw his phone at me before leading the way down to the game room in his basement.

"In the shower?" I repeated, scrunching my eyebrows together.

I rolled my eyes, about to turn on the TV to catch up on this season of 'Suits', praying that Rosalie wouldn't call so that I wouldn't have to relay that God awful excuse, when – low and behold – Emmett's phone rang.

_Kill me now. _

Looking down at the screen, the words 'Unknown Number' flashed before my eyes.

_Hmm… Rosalie's number wasn't blocked. And neither was Alice's. _

"Hello?" I asked, waiting for the caller to give me some form of identification. I had guessed that it was probably just going to be some annoying telemarketer, and I was ready to tell them that I wasn't going to buy whatever they were trying to sell.

So you could imagine my surprise when a soft, bell-like voice answered instead with, "Edward? Hi, it's Bella. Is Emmett busy?"

_She knew who I was_? I thought dazedly, with a dorky smile on my face, before quickly snapping back into reality.

"_Oh, hey Bella. How are you? Nope, he's right downstairs. I'll get him for you," _is what I should've said - after all, Emmett had only specified the excuse of him being in the shower as what I would say to Rosalie.

But instead, I found myself stuttering into the receiver, "Oh, h-hey. Um, yeah, we just came back from the gym, so he's just freshening up. Would you like me to leave him a message?"

I tried to mentally play off that whole mess-up as me simply getting tongue-tied, but I knew deep down that I'd just made up that excuse to get her to talk to me for a little while longer.

_God, I was desperate. _

It took a little time for her to answer, probably because she was laughing at the idea of me at the gym – heck, I sometimes did - but when she did answer, she replied with, "Sure, thank you. Well, I spoke to my mom, and we both decided that it'd be a great idea for me to come to Forks for the rest of the summer. Could you tell him that?"

I actually had to force my jaw closed at what she was telling me. She was coming to Forks? I didn't know whether I should've dreaded the thought, or reveled in it. On the one hand, I'd probably make a complete fool of myself and lose any chance I had with her – not that I honestly had any.

But then on the other hand, I'd finally get to know her a little better. Find out what she was like in real life.

Then a thought struck out to me as I remembered her obvious discomfort when Emmett had proposed the idea to her earlier.

I knew that she was getting ready to hang up, so before she could do so, I asked slowly and cautiously, "Would you mind me asking why you were so reluctant in coming here before?" I almost expected her to tell me it was none of my business, before ending the call.

It was, after all, what I deserved for trying to keep this conversation going on for longer than was necessary.

But to my utmost surprise and delight, she proceeded to tell me about everything – not skipping one detail.

I noticed that throughout her entire explanation, she seemed slightly uncomfortable and embarrassed – though she had no reason to be.

I understood why she had felt worried about intruding into Emmett's life, and her reluctance in coming back to Forks when the last time she'd been here was when her parents had just split up.

In other words, I had confirmed my suspicions that she was a humble, non-superficial person, who was just like everybody else, if not more aware of other people's feelings. This new discovery made this small crush that I had on Bella, sporadically grow into a not-so-small-one anymore.

_Well, this wasn't good. _

Towards the end of her reasoning, however, I noted the fact that she hadn't said whether she really did want to come to Forks now, or if she was simply coming because everyone else wanted her to.

Wondering whether I should once again pry into her life by asking her this question, I mentally sighed, simply deciding to go for it, "But _do_ you want to come to Forks? Now, I mean." I clarified my question, unsuccessfully hiding the concern I felt towards her.

I hoped to God that she didn't think I was weird and obsessive, because I sure as hell felt like it.

I almost thought that I'd gone too far with that one, after noticing that Bella was taking a little while to respond, but I soon breathed a mental sigh of relief when she answered, clear and confident as ever, "Yes."

I guessed that her mom had, after all, erased all of her worries with her conversation with Bella. I couldn't deny the fact that I was incredibly happy for that.

Talking to Bella had been... there wasn't a word for it. Normally, with anyone else, I'd want to hang up right after telling them what I needed to. But with Bella, I felt like I could talk to her for hours on end about any and every thing.

It was only a few moments later that I decided to apologize for keeping her back from her daily activities, realizing that I had been incredibly rude in practically interrogating her. However, I couldn't keep the smile off my face when she'd brushed it off, saying that I hadn't been a bother.

And with a quick reply that I'd make sure and relay the message onto Emmett, I waited for her response before letting her go.

I hadn't realized how long I'd been smiling after hanging up, until I heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs into the living room. I quickly morphed my expression into a neutral one as I handed Emmett his iPhone back, "Bella called, and told me to tell you that she's decided to come to Forks, after all."

"No way! For a minute there, I didn't think that she'd actually come. Mom was the one who convinced her, right? I guess I'll have to tell my dad now… and get him to help me redecorate her old room for her," Emmett muttered the last part to himself, making Jasper and I share a look with each other, knowing that that was our cue to leave.

"See ya tomorrow," I called, before exiting the house and hopping into my silver Volvo.

Jasper then proceeded to put on a helmet, revving the engine of his Ducati, before speeding off to his own house, which was a good ten minutes away from Emmett's.

I shook my head before pulling smoothly out of the driveway, _motorcycles definitely weren't my thing_.

* * *

I spent most of the next day running errands for my mom while she and my dad were both at work.

Annoying as picking up the dry-cleaning, buying the groceries, and dropping in some pictures to get framed were, I was glad I could help my parents out in some form or another – repay them, in a way, for doing as much as they have for me.

It was around two o'clock in the afternoon when I received a call from Emmett, asking if I wanted to come over and meet Bella along with the rest of our friends.

My obvious response was a, "Sure," which I had thankfully played off as nonchalant, even though my heart was practically doing somersaults at the thought of finally meeting her - in person, anyway.

Taking my merry time to get over there, I hoped that I wasn't the first one to arrive, silently cheering to myself when I noticed Alice's bright yellow Porsche parked right next to Charlie Swan's police cruiser.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that Charlie Swan, A.K.A. Emmett's father – and well, I guess, Bella's too - is the Police Chief in this small town of Forks. But even though he's a vigilant crime-fighter and all that, he's a surprisingly cool guy – if you're on his good side, anyway.

As I walked through the front door of the Swans' quaint, two-story house, I tried my best to stop the unusual jitters that I was feeling.

I had no idea why I was feeling this way about simply _meeting_ someone, but I was, and I felt like I almost couldn't control it.

In the beginning, I was actually succeeding in keeping my calm... but then as I walked down the hallway, I heard a melodic voice speak up that made my heart immediately start palpitating. She sounded even more beautiful in real life.

_So this wasn't all some amazing dream that I was going to wake up from, after all. _

Subconsciously turning towards the source of the sound, I actually felt my body freeze when I saw Bella descending the staircase clad in a grey, printed hoodie, and jet-black skinny jeans.

Her hair was tied up in a messy bun with stray pieces of mahogany hair falling out at the front, as she continued typing away on her phone – not paying any attention to her surroundings.

"Have you seen the amount of times Mom mentions Justin Bieber on Twitter? If she doesn't stop, people are gonna think she's a cougar," she looked dumbfounded, as she continued scrolling through what I assumed to be her Twitter feed.

I tried hiding my smile, as I replied with, "No, I haven't. But I'll make sure to tell Emmett all about it."

I actually let out a small chuckle when I noticed how _that _caught her attention.

She immediately looked up from her phone, surprise etched on every part of her face as her eyes widened, and her mouth formed a startled 'o'. Unfortunately, at that same moment, she had stepped blindly on the third-to-last step of the stairs, causing her to trip, arms flailing out in front of her.

The next moments happened in a blur; my feet were moving before I could really process the entire situation, and about a second later, I found myself on the stair next to Bella with my arms wrapped around her waist – her petite waist – thereby preventing her from having a messy fall.

Before things could get awkward – which I assumed they would if I continued holding her like this - I quickly pulled her up so that she was steadily standing on the stair once again, before retracting my arms from around her. I tried not to dwell on how right it had felt when I'd held her in my arms.

And it was only then that I realized the deep, red blush that had formed on her cheeks, and I actually had to ball my hands up into fists to prevent myself from reaching out and touching her face.

"Thank you, for that. I can be so clumsy at times," Bella's cheeks reddened even more after that, and I couldn't stop the small smile that had broken out across my face at her adorable trait.

"No, it was my fault for scaring you like that. I'm sorry. Are you alright?" I was surprised when she looked up at me and smiled, deep brown eyes flashing with something I couldn't quite place - wonder?

It was another surprise to me noting how small she was compared to me – at least a head shorter with an incredibly slender frame.

"No, it's fine. I'm perfect, just a little wobbly," Bella smiled wider, and I suddenly felt stupefied, actually having to take a little while to recollect my thoughts.

_What was it about this girl that caused such a reaction in me?_

"Oh! And I totally forgot," Bella shook her head as if wondering how she could be so stupid, before continuing, "Hi, it's nice to finally meet you, Edward."

She stretched out her hand for me to shake, causing me to grin, "Likewise, Bella," I responded, taking her soft hand in mine.

I was mildly shocked when I felt a jolt inside me as soon as my skin met hers, and looked down at her to see that she wore an equally confused expression on her face.

I could already tell that these coming weeks were going to change my life forever.

* * *

**A/N: This one was shorter than the last two chapters, and just warning you guys: most of the rest of the chapters for this story are going to be this length. **

**Anyway! How did you all find it? I thought it would be kind of cool to change things up and let you all see how Edward felt about Bella. **

**Reviews are really lovely… I honestly wouldn't mind some of them…. :)**

**Xoxo**

**LoveACullen**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to: **_**RoseNEmmettForever, TwilightxHPotterxPJackson, nidszala, , Jazzy286, theresa24, thelionismine, ahsimac, Bebeyeah, TwiSam1989, TwilightPixieFairy, cbmorefie, JCreader, Far-Longer-Than-Forever, crissy cullen, twilight edward twilight (Guest), HarryHermioneEdwardBella, my-wolfee, Monyetta**_**, and 1 **_**Guest**_**, for reviewing. **

**Back to Bella's point of view for this one (it'll be going from when Bella first arrived in the Port Angeles airport).**

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Chapter 4

Bella

Tugging on my two large (albeit inconspicuous enough) suitcases, I searched the Port Angeles airport for any sign of my father, smiling when I spotted his black hair and familiar face through the small crowd.

I hadn't had too much trouble flying from L.A. to Port Angeles, thankfully. Wearing casual clothes including a baggy sweatshirt had definitely been a smart idea on my part as it allowed me to not draw too much attention to myself.

I walked up to my father, watching as he immediately relieved me of my suitcases before giving me a proper welcome. Charlie was definitely not the biggest hugger in the world – but I still grinned into the awkward envelopment as I greeted him.

"Hey, where's Emmett?" I asked as soon as we started walking towards the infamous police cruiser that my dad had been driving for as long as I could remember.

Helping me pile my heavy suitcases into the trunk – even after much protesting on my part – he answered, "Oh, he decided to stay back and get some stuff done."

I didn't miss the fact that he had been vague in his explanation, already gathering that the 'stuff' that my brother had to do, probably had something to do with me.

"What _kind_ of stuff?" I ventured, curiosity getting the better of me.

Charlie looked uncomfortable for a moment, before sighing, realizing that I wasn't going to let it go, "He just wanted to redecorate your old room for you, to make your stay here more comfortable. And before you argue, it wasn't much – just a new bed with clean sheets, and a dresser."

He had seen the look on my face when he'd said the word 'redecorate', trying to downplay the whole thing and making me immediately beam, "Thanks, Dad. But still, you really didn't have to do all of that for me. I would've been comfortable on the couch. Or in Emmett's room, while _he_ slept on the couch."

"Hmm, as good as that last option sounds, I don't think he would've fit on the sofa," I laughed at Charlie's response, just as we began the hour-drive from Port Angeles to Forks.

* * *

The drive was filled with a comfortable silence, only broken by simple questions answered with equally simple answers.

My dad wasn't one who felt the need to have a conversation going all the time – just like me. I guess that's where I had gotten it from.

As soon as we pulled into the driveway of my house in Forks, a flood of memories that I hadn't even known existed flashed through my mind – I guess they had been repressed up until now.

I remembered the many times I'd ran as a little girl through this very driveway – tripping in the process, of course – when my parents had decided to take Emmett and me on an outing to the park.

I also remembered driving away in my mom's car on this very driveway, clutching my favorite teddy bear to my chest, knowing even then that I wasn't going to be staying with my dad and my brother anymore. I specifically tried to push that single memory away, knowing that it would do no good reliving the past.

I blinked, looking over the rest of the house, which still looked the same even to this day: a medium-sized white structure with a wraparound porch, and square, blue-framed windows.

A smile tugged on my lips as I continued to admire the house I'd spent the first four years of my life in, before I quickly snapped out of my daydream, deciding to help my dad with my suitcases.

He, naturally, shooed my away, tugging the luggage inside, even going so far as to pull it all the way upstairs to my temporary bedroom.

I had been floored walking through that house for the first time in years, noting how everything even inside was exactly where we had left it – family pictures on the mantle, a loveseat in between two sofas in the living room, kitchen filled with mismatched chairs, and stairs leading up to three bedrooms and bathrooms.

I had been so enraptured by everything that I had completely forgotten to make the connection that the maroon Jeep I'd seen outside belonged to my brother, who was obviously home. So, when I suddenly felt my feet leave the ground as my body was twirled around, I froze, about to scream.

"Bella!" Emmett shouted, continuing to squeeze me in a bear hug, as I finally began to get over my initial shock, laughing at his sheer joy.

"Emmett!" I replied, equally happy, as he set me down.

"What's new? How do you like your room? I know it's not anything compared to what you have in L.A., but I tried to neaten it up as much as I could," he led me up the narrow staircase to my room, throwing open the white wooden door as I blinked, taking a second to appreciate my newly decorated bedroom.

A queen-sized maple bed lay in the middle of the space, opposite a matching dresser with a mirror resting on top of it. There was a metal desk pushed into a corner of the room, which I assumed would be useful for using my laptop and doing any at-home work I needed to do while on this mini-vacation.

It was smaller than any room I'd ever stayed in, but at the same time, it was:

"Home. I love it, Emmett. Thanks for doing this, and thanks for having me."

I turned towards my brother, who looked entirely pleased and accomplished, bashfully accepting my thanks.

"It's the least I could do for you, Bells. Oh, and if you wanna start unpacking or catching up on sleep from now, please be my guest. We can just grab something to eat later – if you feel like it," Emmett gave me a warm smile, as I nodded.

"You know what? That's a great idea. I think I'll just take a nap for now, and I guess I'll see you when I wake up?" I hugged my brother, smiling as he hugged me back before shutting the door, wishing me sweet dreams. Separate as our lives had been, I was thankful that we had always stayed as close as we did.

Smiling and appreciating my room once again, I had one of those movie-moments, where I ran and jumped on the bed – landing sprawled out on my stomach as I sighed.

Then I soon giggled, sitting up before getting dressed into something more comfortable and going under the covers.

* * *

It was about two hours later that I jerked awake to a noise from downstairs. Taking a few minutes still to fully wake up, I decided to quickly freshen up in the bathroom, pulling on another one of my many hoodies I'd packed and my favorite pair of skinny jeans.

I was once again going through my timeline on Twitter whilst on my phone, when I scrunched my face up in revolt at one of my mom's tweets to Justin Bieber – who, by the way, was an old friend of mine.

I was walking out of my room, going through some more of her tweets to Justin, when I heard the front door open.

I had assumed that it was just Emmett coming back from seeing his friends or something, so I had no problem voicing my shock at my mom's actions, "Have you seen the amount of times Mom mentions Justin Bieber on Twitter? If she doesn't stop, people are gonna think she's a cougar."

_But with my luck, why in the world would it be Emmett? _

Instead of a booming voice answering back, an amused-sounding, deep, velvety voice spoke, "No, I haven't. But I'll make sure to tell Emmett all about it."

I actually felt my heartbeat spike at that moment, as I jumped in surprise at the sound of a voice that I'd already rapidly grown to adore, along with a face and body that matched it.

Of course, being the absolutely klutz that I was, that surprised jump caused my foot to get caught on thin air and before I knew it, my arms were flying out in front of me, prepared to break the chaotic fall that I knew was soon to come.

Or at least, I _thought_ I knew was to come. Because, instead of feeling an impact with the ground, I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist, making me gasp.

The next few seconds that followed were the most mortifying yet amazing seconds of my life.

Mortifying because I'd completely embarrassed myself in front of Edward. And amazing because thanks to my clumsiness, I had actually felt what it was like to have Edward hold me in his arms.

I'm not even going to lie; my heart had felt like it had jumped out of my chest when I'd felt his arms circled around my waist. It had stirred an unfamiliar emotion within me when I'd felt the security and warmth of having him hold me like that.

Thanking him for saving me, while he apologized, it was definitely a great icebreaker for the two of us – slightly awkward, but still.

And, on a completely different note, after that little stumble on the staircase, Edward smoothly guided me down the remaining steps – no doubt still a little wary of my coordination and reaction time – leading me into the living room.

It was there that I had seen a tiny, bright-faced girl with spiky black hair dressed in a dark blue tutu dress paired with a black leather jacket. I was initially a bit taken aback by her sense of style, but later on, found that it fit her personality perfectly well.

I had already known from pictures and the Skype call the previous day that this was Alice. But I was pleasantly surprised when she still introduced herself – practically bouncing out of her seat in the process.

"Hi! I'm Alice Brandon. It's… _incredible_ to finally meet you," my eyebrows shot up at her obvious enthusiasm, but still I found myself smiling with this pixie-like girl. Her happiness was clearly infectious.

"It's amazing to meet you, too. I've heard loads about you," I laughed when her face brightened even further, before she absolutely burst with excitement and wrapped me in her arms.

As a long-time celebrity, I was definitely experienced in dealing with overly enthusiastic fans. To be honest, to me, they were the best kind. Their actions were so outrageous that there was never, ever a dull moment when meeting them.

So, as you can imagine, at this point, I never really got surprised or shocked when someone hugged me, or in this case, squeezed me past the point of breathing.

Gosh, for such a small person, she certainly had a death grip.

I hugged her back, smiling, just as she squealed, "I can already tell that we're going to be best friends," then she released me, still smiling. I couldn't find it in me to feel shocked or creeped out by her statement, only feeling an odd sense of acceptance and understanding.

Just as I smiled back, about to ask Alice a question about herself, the four of us turned towards the sound of the front door opening before promptly closing shut.

I knew that it could only be either Rosalie or Jasper, so I only smiled when I saw the both of them enter the living room.

Rosalie and I had gotten quite close over the years over text and the occasional video calls – being my brother's girlfriend and all. But not once in the time that I'd known her had I actually seen her in real life.

So you could realize why we both practically raced to meet each other in a classic best-friends-reuniting hug, each shouting the other's names.

"You look even more gorgeous in real life," I gushed, shortly after appraising her.

Her entire face was flawless – void of any possible imperfections – while her blonde hair looked bouncy and shiny. She was wearing a pair of skinny jeans, along with a low-cut tank top that accentuated all of the curves in her body perfectly. She could definitely give Candice Swanepoel a run for her money.

Even she knew that, but she had told me countless times before that cars were her lifelong passion, regardless of the fact that she'd make an excellent career as a model.

Rosalie only rolled her eyes at me, beaming, "I could say the same for you! The tabloids do _not_ do you justice."

I only laughed, soon making my way over to Jasper to introduce myself, before we all proceeded to sit down on the couches in the quaint living room.

It was a bit nerve-wracking at first, trying to make a good impression on Emmett's friends. But after a few minutes, I started getting to know them a lot better than I had before – because c'mon, one Skype call was _not _enough. I had to admit that I'd expected them to be a lot more like, "Can I get an autograph or a picture with you? What's it like being a celebrity?"

But I was thrilled that they were exactly the opposite, having no trouble at all treating me like a normal person – or acting like they were, at least.

Throughout the whole bonding session that we had going on, I couldn't help but sneak glances at Edward every few minutes, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible about it, unsuccessfully of course.

The feelings that came to me when I looked at him, or when I caught him looking at me were entirely new. I had no idea whether it was his looks or his charm that filled my stomach with butterflies and caused my heart to ache, but I couldn't deny that I wanted these feelings – unusual as they were to me – to stay.

_Ugh, stop it Bella, _I berated myself for the umpteenth time for having these thoughts about Edward.

It was a good half an hour before any of us stopped talking, and that was only when I was hit with a wave of fumes that smelled a lot like burning food.

Um.

"Hey guys, do you smell something burning?" I wrinkled my nose, before widening my eyes and looking towards Emmett.

"Uh oh," his face mirrored mine, before we both jumped out of our seats and practically dove for the kitchen.

It was there that all six of us were met with the sight of a coughing Charlie turning off the oven before opening it and trying to wave away the smell of the – what I assumed to be – burned chicken.

I soon guessed that my dad had been trying to make me feel more comfortable with a nice home-cooked meal, but I quickly reassured him that I honestly didn't need any of that – as a matter of fact, living with Renée had allowed me to perfect my cooking skills.

Even now that I had a personal chef, I still cooked the occasional meal for Renée and Phil.

"Aww, Dad. You didn't have to cook for me. We could've just ordered pizza or something," I gave him a blatant look of pity, just as he made a face, agreeing silently.

"I guess I thought that maybe my skills would've gotten better over the years," he shrugged, as the group of us tried – but failed – to hide our entertainment at this whole ordeal.

"Yeah… I don't think they did, Dad," Emmett clapped my father on the back, as all of us started to help him clean up the relatively small mess he'd made.

I had only been here for a few hours, and already, I was having a ball. This trip had honestly been one of the best decisions that I'd made in my life.

* * *

**A/N: Short, I know! But right now, I'm on a family vacation. And I'm almost never in the hotel (besides when I'm asleep), so I didn't get time at all to write or post anything. **

**But I took a break today and just quickly wrote up the majority of this chapter. I'm really sorry it doesn't have as much Bella-Edward action that I wanted it to have, but I promise that the next chapter will be dedicated to them getting to know each other. **

**I'll try to write the next chapter ASAP since school starts next week (so updates will be irregular), and thank you so much for the reviews and alerts that I've gotten!**

**Xoxo**

**LoveACullen **


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you to: **_**thelionismine, TwiSam1989, 5FreakyFingers, nidszala, TwilightxHPotterxPJackson, TwilightPixieFairy, HarryHermioneEdwardBella, cbmorefie, Far-Longer-Than-Forever, I'm A Sucker For Love Stories, Jazzy286, ahsimac,**_** and **_**Monyetta,**_** for reviewing.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. _

* * *

Chapter 5

Bella 

The first day of my stay in Forks had been eventful to say the least. After the whole kitchen fiasco with Charlie, the group of us decided to go out for dinner at a local Chinese restaurant, where there was – gratefully – no one who noticed me.

It made sense though; since it was only halfway through summer for most school kids, families were mostly on holiday in another state, or even country. So Forks was even more deserted than usual.

_Go figure. _

After dinner though, Emmett invited his friends to spend the night at our house since both Alice and Rosalie's parents were out of state on business.

Edward and Jasper's parents didn't mind them spending the night either.

So that was how I ended up in my bed, tossing and turning, while Rosalie and Alice were sleeping soundlessly on a futon downstairs in the wide open space that was the basement game room. Jasper, Edward and Emmett were all sprawled out on a mattress in the basement as well – I assumed, anyway.

I had politely declined their offer of joining the sleepover, because as much as I had wanted to, my mom had already FedEx'd me over a script that I needed to give her feedback on A.S.A.P.

_Ah, even when I wasn't working, I still was. _

Throwing the covers off of me after checking the clock for the millionth time – it was already 1 a.m. – I checked to see if I had gotten a reply from my mom as yet, rolling my eyes when I noted that she had done so a minute after I'd sent her my feedback. She really was a workaholic.

I read it over, smiling when I saw that she'd agreed with me in saying that playing Beatrice Prior in the _Divergent_ trilogy would certainly be a great opportunity for me. It would actually be one of my first roles as the main character.

In _Catching Fire_, I had played the role of Cashmere - a girl who had soon gotten killed off halfway into the script. And besides that, I had played equally small roles recently while focusing on writing music and getting an album out.

But now that I had finished writing and recording my second album, _Bright Lights_, I would definitely be able to focus on acting.

I closed down my laptop soon after finishing everything I needed to do, concluding that a glass of water would probably help me finally drift off to sleep, as I was feeling a bit parched.

Stepping carefully and slowly down the stairs so as to not disturb anyone sleeping, I was just turning the corner to head into the kitchen when I spotted a mess of bronze hair and green eyes peering curiously at me from a couch in the living room.

Naturally, I jumped in surprise – this time, not tripping in the process – before placing a hand over my racing heart as I got my breathing under control.

_Jesus. _

Voicing my thoughts, "You really have a thing for scaring people," I commented, breathing normally now, but still keeping my hand over my heart.

He had looked a little concerned before, but now, his green eyes twinkled as his lips upturned into a smirk, "No, just you, I think."

Edward motioned for me to have a seat, and I acquiesced, taking a place next to him on the comfy couch.

He angled his body to face me, resting his arms on his thighs as he leaned forward, "Couldn't sleep?"

I couldn't help but take that time to note his appearance, mentally sighing after seeing his plaid pajamas pants, white, round neck t-shirt, and unusually messy bronze hair. It was a combination that made my heart go into a frenzy – as was the case whenever I was around Edward, I was learning.

Snapping out of my wandering thoughts, I blinked, sitting back, "No. I guess it's because I'm not used to sleeping for more than three or four hours these days. Bad, I know…but I've got four weeks to correct that problem."

I'd seen the worried glance he'd thrown my way after telling him about my lack of sleep, so I'd reassured him that I'd hopefully get more hours in during my stay here. It was frightening for me realizing how much I cared about his opinion of me, when usually, I couldn't care less about what people thought of me.

"What about you? I'm guessing that you have a normal sleeping schedule - well, normal for teenagers anyway. Why aren't you asleep?" I quirked an eyebrow, just as I saw a fleeting look of nervousness move across Edward's face before soon returning to normal.

Hmm. I wondered what that was all about.

"Something's been on my mind lately, and… I can't seem to stop thinking about it," he was being super vague, so I knew that that was probably going to be the only information he was willing to give out on the matter. As much as I wanted to be nosey and pry into his life, I knew that would be rude.

"Well, I hope that this 'thing' doesn't continue to prevent you from getting some rest," I said, wearing a soft smile on my face.

Edward then let out a small chuckle as if having a secret joke with himself that I wasn't in on, "Thank you."

_Music to my ears is what his chuckle was. _

Then the most amazing thing happened: his dazzling green eyes bore into mine as his lips upturned into a heart stopping crooked grin which showed off his perfectly straight, white teeth.

_Oh, dear Lord. _

I think that I actually stopped breathing in that instant.

"Why'd you come downstairs, anyway?" Edward asked a moment later, jogging my memory.

"Oh! I wanted to get a glass of water. Thanks for reminding me," just as I began to sit up, I felt a hand on my shoulder, keeping me in place.

"I'll get it," Edward stood up, making me reply with, "No, that's not necessary."

"I wanted to get some water as well. It's fine, Bella," he smiled, noticing my frown.

I sighed, realizing that he wasn't going to let me have my way – he was more stubborn that I was, and that was saying a lot, "Okay, fine. Thanks." I realized a moment later that I sounded like an aggravated child who'd just been banned from having an ice-cream, so I wasn't entirely surprised when Edward once again chuckled amusedly.

He left then, returning less than a minute later with a glass of water in his hand, causing my eyes to narrow. _One _glass of water.

"I had mine in the kitchen," Edward tried defending himself, but I could tell that he was trying hard not to laugh at my expression.

"_Sure,_" I said, nevertheless taking the glass of water from his outstretched hand and thanking him. I really didn't like it when people went out of their way to do things for me that I was capable of, but I couldn't find it in me to stay mad at Edward for his actions.

With him, I could only feel flattered and warm on the inside. Ugh, I was too cheesy for my own good.

I took a sip of water while Edward threaded his fingers together, seemingly lost in his thoughts. I unconsciously smiled seeing the way his eyebrows creased together as his jaw clenched, making his lips turn down.

It was just my luck that he came out of his reverie in that moment, catching me staring at him.

"What?" he asked, interested.

"Nothing," I rushed, turning my face away so that my hair hid my already-forming blush.

_Well, wasn't I just the most obvious person in the world?_

I admittedly received the shock of my life a second later when I felt Edward's hand move my hair away from my face before tucking it behind my ear, lingering a little on the spot.

My eyes widened as I looked towards him, just as his hand froze. He jerkily retracted it away from me, looking like he was even surprised at himself for doing what he had just done.

What _had_ he just done? I was finding it hard to steady my speeding heart at his unexpected actions.

Deciding to diffuse the awkward tension that was forming between us by speaking, I asked, "So how was the sleepover?" Embarrassingly, my voice sounded slightly shaky, and I hoped that I he didn't notice the effect that his one small action had on me.

Edward seemed amazed that I wasn't currently screaming at him or something for having invaded my personal space. But if I'm being completely honest with you, I had kind of wanted of him to invade it.

Okay, I had _really_ wanted him to.

What can I say? Edward was definitely unlike any other guy I'd ever met. And I liked it – I really liked it.

"At first, it was great. But towards the end, when Rosalie and Alice started gravitating towards Emmett and Jasper… getting ready to watch some lame chick flick… things just got way too couple-y for me. That's actually the reason why I'm even up here," Edward looked traumatized as he relived what had ensued during the sleepover, making me giggle.

I tried to act nonchalant as I asked my next question, but on the inside, my stomach was doing flips that I'd never felt before in my life, "Why don't you bring your girlfriend to these things then?"

Edward seemed beyond surprised at my question, pressing his lips together before smirking, "What makes you think that I have a girlfriend? I don't, by the way." He sounded genuinely curious, as if it was something he had said that had caused me to think that.

"I don't know. I just assumed," I shrugged, biting my lip, as I suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable with these turn of events. I really didn't want to have to further explain _why_ I'd assumed he had a girlfriend, because then I'd have to confess that I thought he was gorgeous, smart, caring, and funny. And that would just make things super awkward.

A few seconds later, it was his turn to look slightly unnerved as he questioned, "Do you? Have a boyfriend, I mean." He wasn't making any direct eye contact with me whatsoever, and I couldn't help but beam at how adorably shy he was being.

"No. I never have. Don't you read the tabloids?" I cocked my head to the side, as he seemed to breathe a sigh (of relief, it looked to be? No, that couldn't be right).

His green eyes once again turned on me, as he answered truthfully, "I never believe anything that I read in those things."

I was thrilled upon hearing that news, because it had actually made me unsettled thinking that Edward believed some of the awful rumors that had been written about me in the past.

I didn't know why I said what I said next, but it seemed that my filter was once again broken around Edward, "Good. Keep it that way."

We both stayed silent for a few moments, probably both taking in all of this newfound information. At least, I was.

_Edward Cullen was single. _Single_. _Not that I had any sort of chance, but _still_.

It was a little while before Edward broke the comfortable silence, seeming to remember something, "How did your work thing go?"

I made a face, but at the same time, I was glad that we'd gotten out of that uncomfortable conversation about significant others, "As good as work things can go, I guess. I just basically had to give my feedback on a script that was sent to me today – well technically yesterday." I corrected myself, realizing that it was slowly approaching two o'clock in the morning.

Edward nodded, understanding, before opening then closing his mouth. Apparently coming to a conclusion, he posed a question, "Do you ever want to quit?"

Obviously, I was thrown by his sudden question, actually moving my head back as if I'd been hit by whiplash.

My action caused him to swiftly apologize, "You don't have to answer that. I'm sorry."

I shook my head, scrunching my eyebrows together, "No, that's not it at all. I just – not many people have asked me that question before."

I took a moment to gather my thoughts, and Edward gave me room to think, which I appreciated.

"I think about it all the time... I mean, I love singing, and I love acting, and I love my fans. But at the same time, those things prevent me from doing a lot of the things I want to do," I explained.

"Like?" Edward prodded, patiently waiting for me to go on.

"Like… going to school, going out to the movies, having a walk in the park. It's not even the fact that I'm too busy to do most of those things; it's the constant cameras in my face when I _do_ have the time to do all of those things.

"Don't get me wrong: sometimes it can all be cool and fun. When my fans bombard me, I don't mind it as much because I mostly take pictures with them or sign something. And that, to me, is really important. But most of the time, when it's the paparazzi, it's so annoying having my privacy invaded," I threw my head back against the couch.

"And then there's the issue of university: I really want to go, but it'd be impossible for me to do so if I continue with my job. That's really the one major thing that would make me quit in the near future," I finished calmly, realizing that if I went on any further – which, mind you, I could – I would be babbling.

But Edward didn't seem to mind; he simply stayed silent throughout my entire rant, listening intently without interrupting. He truly was a good listener.

After taking a moment to mull over my thoughts, I spoke softer this time, "You're the first person that I've said any of this to, and I have no idea why that is. I'm sorry for dumping my problems on you - again."

I realized that this was actually the second time that I was confessing my deepest secrets to Edward, a mere stranger.

Well, I guessed that he wasn't really a stranger anymore. But still, he must've found me incredibly annoying by now – _heck, I would_.

"No, I was the one who asked the question. And you're not dumping anything on me. Really. I get what you're saying about the whole pro-con list of your career, especially the part about university. And for what it's worth, if you want to go to university, and you get accepted into somewhere amazing – which I believe you will – you should definitely go. If you still feel strongly about going at that point anyway. You're now entering your senior year of high school, right?" Edward looked so focused and intent on trying to figure me out.

It was endearing, actually - completely different to how I felt around interviewers doing the same thing. Obviously, it was because Edward was asking me all of this just for his own personal reasons, whereas interviewers asked me questions like these in hopes of twisting my words and making a story out of it.

I smiled, nodding, "Thanks, I'll definitely put a lot of thought into it. And yeah, I just finished my junior year. What about you?"

Edward smiled, "Same for me – just finished my junior year as well."

Almost immediately after, I asked, "And what are your plans for after high school? I'm assuming that they're much more definite than mine." We both grinned towards each other at that, before he answered.

"I'm planning on going to university to study medicine," he answered in a rush. I wondered why he was so embarrassed to have such a great life plan.

"Whoa, doctor. You know what? I can see that," I was impressed, to say the least. As much as I hated going to the doctor – needles and me did _not_ mix – I genuinely admired doctors for all the time and studying that it took for them to get their title.

And let's be honest, the image of Edward Cullen in a white lab coat and scrubs was enough to make anyone pass out.

"Did you always want to be one?" I put a hand under my chin, giving Edward my full attention, glad to – for once – have the spotlight off of me.

He smiled, eyes glazing over as if reminiscing a bit, before answering, "Yeah. My dad's a doctor, so ever since I was little, I was always fascinated by his job – especially when I got to visit him at the hospital that he worked at. My dad didn't push me at all in the direction of that career path, I just always leaned towards it on my own. People are always surprised by that." He chuckled then, causing me to smile both at the sound, and at his explanation.

It was sweet that he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, and I suddenly found myself feeling jealous of that fact that he knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life, while I was still figuring things out.

It wasn't long after that that we both fell into easy conversation, with me pulling my knees up to my chest on the couch, and him resting his sock clad feet on the footrest.

I was learning so many new things about Edward – what his parents did for a living, the fact that he was an only child who had always wanted an older brother but instead found two in Emmett and Jasper. He had only had one girlfriend in the past, but it hadn't lasted long after he realized that he had only been dating her because everyone had wanted them to date.

Edward also played the piano, modestly admitting that he was at such an expert grade level that he now composed music. His favorite color when I'd asked him was brown (unusual, I know), while he'd stated that he was very much into the classics – both classical music and classical books.

All in all, it was now safe to say that I could call Edward a friend, or at least someone that I was well acquainted with. And I would be lying if I said that gathering all of this information about him hadn't made me extremely happy on the inside.

Like I'd said earlier, Edward was definitely someone that I wanted to get to know.

I only hoped that he felt the same about me.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry I took so long to post this chapter, but you know, that dreaded thing called school just started back on Monday. **

**Yes, I already want to crawl into a hole and die, and I've only been back there for 2 days :'( **

**I'm now in my second to last year of high school, so I really have to get serious with my work (not that I wasn't before). BUT that doesn't mean that I'm going to stop writing. I might take a little longer to post, but I WILL update :)**

**Thanks for all the lovely reviews so far! I hope you guys enjoy what's to come. **

**Xoxo**

**LoveACullen **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you to: **_**SarahLouise122, TwilightxHPotterxPJackson, TheTwilightSagaIsAmazing, twilight edward twilight (Guest), 5FreakyFingers, TwiSam1989, cbmorefie, anglealice, TwilightPixieFairy, thelionismine, Monyetta,**_** and 1 **_**Guest**_**, for reviewing.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. _

* * *

Chapter 6

Bella

The rest of the week flew by in the blink of an eye, and before I knew it, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice, Edward, and me were all making our way to the cinema in Port Angeles.

I was still amazed at how quickly Emmett's friends had become my friends – no issues, no complications. It was definitely a turn for me trusting these people more easily than I'd trusted anyone in my life.

But I guessed that it just showed you how splendid every one of them was.

Especially Edward.

I tried not to sigh in frustration at how my thoughts always managed to float towards Edward without warning. Seriously – I had always laughed at all of those sappy roles I had played over the years where the teenage girl was head over heels for a boy that she barely even knew.

And now, I was one of those girls. (This is the part where I laugh ironically and slightly maniacally).

What was even worse was the fact that I was currently seated in Emmett's Jeep with the group of all of them next to – guess who? – Edward! So you could pretty much sum up how the whole 'trying-not-to-think-about-him-romantically' thing was turning out.

Since the jeep was a five-seater, Alice was perched on top of Jasper's lap, while Rosalie sat in the passenger seat as Emmett drove. As previously stated, I was sitting between Edward and Jasper in the back seat.

"So what movie are we gonna see?" I asked, still not entirely sure what our agenda for the day was.

"Um, 'We're The Millers', I think it's called," Rosalie answered whilst fiddling with the radio.

I nodded, smiling, thinking back to all of the incredible reviews I'd heard about that movie - it was supposed to be one of the best comedies of the year. With Jennifer Aniston acting in it, I definitely didn't doubt that.

"And now playing is the new hit single from Bella Monroe's album, 'Bright Lights'. It's called 'Team'…" a radio announcer spoke before I heard the opening tunes of one of my songs.

_Oh, dear, _I thought.

_Wait 'til you're announced_  
_We've not yet lost all our graces_  
_The hounds will stay in chains_  
_Look upon your greatness_  
_That you'll send_  
_The call I'll send_

_Call all the ladies out_  
_They're in their finery_  
_A hundreds jewels on throats_  
_A hundred jewels between teeth_  
_Now bring my boys in_  
_Their skin in craters like the moon_  
_The moon we love like a brother, while he glows through the room_

_Dancin' around the lies we tell_  
_Dancin' around big eyes as well_  
_Even the comatose they don't dance and tell_

_[Chorus]_  
_We live in cities you'll never see on screen_  
_Not very pretty, but we sure know how to run free_  
_Living in ruins of the palace within my dreams_  
_And you know, we're on each other's team_

I nodded in response to all of the staring faces in the car, "Well this isn't awkward at all," causing everyone to break out in large grins. It honestly wasn't too embarrassing hearing my songs on the radio anymore, as I'd gotten used to it over the years.

"Wow," Alice breathed, breaking the silence that had filled the car as everyone absorbed the song. "What does it all mean?" Rosalie turned around, as the song abruptly ended.

I pursed my lips, "Well, it's all kind of mixed up. I wrote some of it in my perspective of what people from small towns feel like growing up. Kind of like you guys in Forks. I mean, barely anyone on Earth knows there's even a place called Forks in America. But mostly, it's about the fact that I can always count on my friends, and people in my life for support."

They all seemed surprised at my explanation, "The lyrics are out of this world." I was startled that Jasper had been the one to make that comment, but smiled all the same.

Just as I was about to thank him immensely for his kind words, the rest of the car's occupants began to nod their heads in agreement, seeming to come out of whatever trance they were all in.

It particularly made my dizzy with happiness when Edward looked at me in awe, telling me that my song was 'absolutely incredible'.

I hadn't up until that point known that Edward liked my music, so you could imagine the feeling it gave me knowing that he did. Cue girly sigh of pleasure.

"Aww, thanks, guys. I'll make sure and send you all copies ASAP," I smiled, still blushing at all of the compliments. No matter how many times someone commended me for my so-called talent, I still felt the same happiness and adulation.

* * *

It wasn't long now before we drew into the parking lot, pulling into a spot directly in front of the local cinema. Piling out of the Jeep and heading for the ticket booth, I was completely taken aback by the long lines leading up to the ticket stand.

I visibly gaped at how many people came to the cinema, before resolving that this was probably the most entertainment that people got around here. I blinked, wondering how they all survived.

"You guys go ahead to the concession stand; me and Jasper will wait for the tickets," Emmett nodded his head towards the doors, causing Edward to take the lead inside, followed promptly by us girls.

Due to the fact that the cinema was so heavily packed, I did generate a few stares, but they were all brushed off as people convinced themselves that Bella Monroe would never in a million years come to such a boring place.

_Hey, their words, not mine. _

As we all walked to the end of the line, I noticed Alice hopping from one leg to the other, "I actually need to use the bathroom really badly. I'll meet you guys back here." Hiding my smile at her obvious discomfort, I looked to Edward, realizing that he was having the same problem as me.

"I'll go with you," Rosalie said, pulling out her compact and none-too-subtly checking herself in the mirror. Edward shook his head at that, obviously coming to the conclusion that she was simply going over there to fix her hair and make-up.

Branching off to the ladies room, Rosalie and Alice unintentionally left Edward and me alone to wait in the relatively short line – compared to the line for tickets anyway – for the movie snacks.

"So how are you enjoying your stay here so far?" Edward asked, making light conversation, causing me to smile.

"I'm not going to lie, I'd probably be bored to tears here if it weren't for you. I mean, you know, the group of you guys," my eye widened as I mentally facepalmed, hoping that Edward wouldn't notice my slip-up.

I seriously needed to work on making the whole 'me-crushing-on-Edward' thing a whole lot less obvious.

He smiled, nodding, "Yeah, it does get pretty monotonous here without a little fun once in a while. It really is great, um, having you around. You know, uh, new faces are always… nice." I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing at Edward's flustered behavior.

I almost couldn't hold it in when he turned away, muttering to himself, not knowing that I could still hear him, "'New faces are always nice'? Could I _get_ any more stupid?"

But then the smile actually wiped off of my face when I was met with the most glorious sight I'd ever witnessed in my entire life. Edward proceeded to run his hands through his - what I'd recently pictured to be – silky, smooth auburn hair, causing my jaw to drop open as my knees suddenly felt a whole lot like Jell-O.

_Holy…Talk about _hot.

I looked away, abruptly feeling like _I_ was the flustered one now, "So do you know what everyone wants?"

I thanked the heavens that I had managed that entire question out without stuttering – _good job, Bella, _I mentally gave myself a pat on the back.

Edward cleared his throat, looking up at the order menu above the counter, "Yeah, Emmett usually has nachos and Coke, while Jasper has chicken and fries and water. Rosalie and Alice share a large popcorn together, each having their own bottles of water. What would you like to have?"

He recited the orders off by heart, leading me to believe that the group of them did in fact come here often. Only now looking up at the large sign, I scanned the list of things that I could possibly get. Nothing really jumped out at me, so I just settled on a bottle of water, causing Edward's eyebrows to shoot up.

"Are you _sure_ you don't want anything to eat? We can share a popcorn if you're worried you can't eat the whole thing," there were only two sizes of popcorn here – regular and large. And let me tell you, regular was looking pretty large to me.

"Actually, yeah. That doesn't sound like such a bad idea," I looked up at him, grateful for his offer as we both moved up a little in the line.

Rosalie and Alice soon came back after that, helping us carry all of the stuff that Edward had generously paid for – I'd offered to do the honour, but he'd simply shook his head, pushing my wallet away and making the cashier grin.

"Hey, it's a date. The guy's _supposed_ to pay," the cashier, Steve, had reassured me, making my cheeks flame up as Edward had begun to stutter.

"Got the tickets! Let's head inside before we miss the previews," Emmett stalked up to us with Jasper in tow, relieving Rosalie of her tray before practically running to the ticket usher.

I had no idea why but Emmett was actually obsessed with watching movie previews – "It's the best part about going to the cinema!"

Yeah… okay.

The theatre wasn't as packed as I'd imagined it would be, what with all the long lines and all, so we ended up getting great seats smack-dab in the middle of the room in one of the highest rows up.

The order of seating was Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, Edward, and then me. I was clearly sitting next to Edward since we had to share the popcorn and all – that was my excuse, anyway.

Sipping on my water as the previews started rolling in, I tried desperately not to think about the fact that the only thing preventing me from leaning against Edward was a movable armrest.

As the movie finally started, I reached for the bag of popcorn that Edward had just started munching on, taking a bunch of the snack in the palm of my hand and eating them off one by one.

It was halfway through the movie and we were all currently dying of laughter at one of the scenes. I'd been mesmerized by the sound of Edward's full-on laugh, having only heard him chuckle before – which, mind you, was still absolutely dazzling. His laugh was enough to make me occasionally glance at him, just to watch how his entire face lit up in amusement.

I was confused, to say the least, at how my heart beat irregularly and my own face lit up at the sound of his laughter.

I knew that what I felt for Edward definitely didn't constitute as a crush anymore – no, I'd gone way past that over the few days I'd had of getting to know him.

Sighing, I reached for another fistful of popcorn, when I suddenly felt a hand atop mine. We both froze, but didn't dare chance a glance at one another. I mean, I could already feel my face heating up.

But then, something astonishing happened, causing my stomach to do somersaults and my heart to soar. Instead of retracting it from the popcorn bag, Edward's hand lingered on mine before actually enclosing it.

As in, he was _holding my freaking hand_.

What.

I'm not even going to lie here, the feeling of his hand holding mine was enough to make me explode with emotions. First off, his hand wasn't smooth, but it wasn't coarse either – it was just… Edward. And the way it encased mine just felt so many levels of perfect.

Obviously, my current feelings were seriously overwhelming me and causing me to act pretty irrational, so it would explain why instead of detangling my hand from Edward's and laughing the whole thing off, I laced my fingers through his, trying so hard to keep a goofy grin off my face when he squeezed my hand in response.

_Okay, how was this happening right now?_

I wasn't too shocked when Edward pulled our entwined hands out of the bag and onto his lap, allowing us to use our free hands to once again continue eating the popcorn.

At this point, I literally felt like such a mess of emotions – confusion being the most prominent one of all… amongst pure ecstasy and thrill, of course.

I was namely confused because I was wondering what the _hell _this all meant. I mean, I was sure that Edward holding my hand had been an impulse at first – completely unintentional - but the fact that he hadn't pulled away when I'd tangled my fingers with his had to mean something… right?

I mean, I'm pretty sure it's not normal for a guy and girl who are just friends to hold hands whilst in a darkened movie theatre.

Nonetheless, we never once released each other's hands, purposely keeping our eyes trained on the movie screen. It was probably one of the hardest things in my life not peeking at Edward every few minutes - call me a stalker.

Unfortunately, about two-thirds of the way into the movie, I got the urge to go to the bathroom – _ugh, I really shouldn't have drunken all of that water_ - reluctantly excusing myself and letting go of Edward's hand.

Was it pathetic that I actually felt bare without it after feeling what it was like to have it holding mine?

A little?

Practically running to the bathroom, I soon finished up, checking myself in the mirror to make sure that my hair hadn't gotten messed up or anything.

Quickly combing my fingers through the dark brown locks, I proceeded to apply some outlast lipstain to my lips, fixing my shirt before walking out of the bathroom.

Clearly not watching where I was going, I bumped into something solid, only a second later realizing that this something was actually a some_one_.

"Sorry," I apologized, about to side-step the obviously built person, only to realize:

"Bella, hey. Can we talk?" a velvety-smooth, all-too-familiar voice asked.

_Well this was bound to be interesting..._

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**A/N: Don't you just **_**love**_** cliffies? I know I do!**

**I decided that I'd been keeping you guys waiting for the romance long enough, so I changed up a few stuff and voilà! I promise that the next chapter will be worth the wait – hopefully. **

**Reviews make me update sooner… just sayinggg :p Hope you guys enjoyed this one! **

**Oh, and P.S. if you don't know the song 'Team' by Lorde, you should look it up. The meaning of the song isn't exactly what I wrote it to be, but I had to tweak it a little to fit with the story. **

**Xoxo**

**LoveACullen**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you to: **_**RoseNEmmettForever, Twilight RoeiSim23, Breaking Dawn21, SunflowerFran, roselally, Leopardsky, anglealice, (Guest), TwilightxHPotterxPJackson, cbmorefie, 5FreakyFingers, alizzie, xsiilentstormx, adino878, Far-Longer-Than-Forever, JCreader, TwilightPixieFairy, Monyetta, TheSt0pidLamb, TwiSam1989**_**, and 5 **_**Guests**_**, for reviewing. **

**Just going to take this moment to completely freak out over the fact that this story now has over 100 reviews. ASDFGHJKL…THANK YOU!**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight_

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Chapter 7

Edward

I hadn't initially planned on following Bella's suit and leaving the movie after her, but I had a lot of things on my mind that needed to be cleared up before things got way too out of hand for my liking.

I knew that I needed to tell her how I felt about her, or else we'd both just end up feeling perplexed and frustrated – heck, I already was.

Mainly, I was confused and frustrated at myself, wondering what on earth had compelled me to violate Bella's personal space like that… Again.

Oh, right: _she_ had.

Her very _presence_ sent my brain and body crazy. That slight contact with her hand had been my breaking point, clearly; pushing me over the edge and causing me to do something that was very unlike me – grasp her hand and refuse to let go.

I couldn't help it though. In any other circumstance, I would've fumbled, letting go of her hand immediately and dying of complete and utter embarrassment. But naturally, this wasn't a normal circumstance.

Once I'd enveloped Bella's hand in mine, feeling what her hand had felt like – soft and small, and perfectly fit for mine – I just couldn't bring myself to release it. And I guess, neither could she.

I'd admittedly received the shock of my life when instead of pulling her hand out of mine like I'd expected, Bella proceeded to thread her fingers through mine.

It had felt like the most natural thing in the world gently squeezing her hand in response, my heart thrumming so loudly in my chest, I was surprised that no one had heard.

I'd physically had to force myself not to glance over at her then, much like I'd been doing quite inconspicuously for the first half of the movie – call me a creep, I don't care. It had undeniably been the most glorious sight I'd ever witnessed, seeing her head thrown back as a melodic laugh escaped her lips, one hand covering her mouth.

I blinked, coming out of my daydream, approaching the doors leading to the men and ladies' restrooms. Keeping a relatively good distance away from the doors, I leaned against the wall, waiting patiently for her to exit.

I debated on pulling out my phone so that I didn't look like a freak waiting outside the bathrooms, but apparently I didn't have to wait too long on Bella, only a few seconds later seeing her petite frame emerging from the door with her head down.

I had to refrain myself from chuckling when I realized that she still hadn't noticed my presence, accidentally knocking into me whilst on her way back to the theatre.

_Cute, wasn't she_?

"Bella, hey. Can we talk?" I asked, somehow finding it in me to get back to focusing on the task at hand. Which was – telling Bella how I felt about her, and hopefully not getting shot down.

I could already feel my nerves increasing exponentially at just the mere thought of having Bella look at me sympathetically as she told me she didn't feel the same way about me. There honestly was an extremely high chance of that occurring, so I mentally prepared myself for the worst possible thing she could say to me in response.

I didn't miss the look of dread that flickered across her face momentarily, before Bella nodded, "Sure."

_Please, please, let this conversation go alright, _I prayed.

Outside of a bathroom door wasn't exactly the most ideal place for us to have this conversation, so I asked if she would mind taking a walk with me outside.

Bella wore a soft smile on her face as she shook her head, following my lead as I strode towards one of the sitting areas just outside the cinema doors.

Though there were plenty of free benches to take up space on, I was too restless to go back to sitting. Instead, I propped myself against the back of the wooden bench, smiling as Bella did the same, facing me while looking down at her hands.

Sighing, she looked up, "So…"

I couldn't help the crooked grin that immediately plastered across my face, realizing that she was nervous as well – though for what reason, I had no idea.

I blinked, trying to regain some of the self-confidence that I'd had early, "So."

I exhaled loudly, running my fingers through my hair – a habit I'd picked up over the years whenever I was anxious.

Gathering my thoughts, I looked back towards Bella, only then realizing that her eyes had already been fixed on me. She at once turned away, blushing, making me wish so badly at that moment that I could be a telepath.

"I, um, I guess I should just come right out and say it, huh?" rubbing the back of my neck with one hand, I continued, "Bella, ever since you came here, things have been different. Being around you… talking to you has brought out feelings in me that I've never felt with anyone else before.

"I've always known that you're beautiful, and smart. But, these past few days, I also realized that you're kind, and selfless, and incredibly modest. It's made simply being your friend all the more difficult," by this time, Bella was gazing at me intently; her doe-like brown eyes practically smoldering mine.

"So Bella, what I'm getting at is – if it wasn't painfully obvious before – I really like you. It's fine if you don't feel the same way about me, but I just don't want to slip up and do something that'll make you uncomfortable, without knowing how _you_ feel," that last sentence was the hardest one to get out, because truthfully, I didn't know if I _would_ be fine if she didn't reciprocate my feelings.

I didn't think anyone else in the world could ever come close to comparing with her in my eyes.

The long pause after my confession before Bella eventually spoke up had to be the longest passing seconds of my life – just waiting for her to say something, _anything_.

Her mouth opened and closed twice, before she looked down, shocking me when I felt her small, smooth hands enclose mine. The action caused me to smile involuntarily as she looked up at me - it still amazed me how small she was compared to me.

"Don't you think it meant something when you held my hands like this, and I didn't pull away?" a grin was slowly spreading across my face at where she was going with this.

Intertwining her fingers with mine for the second time today, she looked down at our hands before looking back up at me, "And when I did this. Don't you think that meant something as well?"

"I don't think anyone's ever made me feel so comfortable or secure, or happy, in my life. So, what _I'm_ getting at… is that I really like you too, Edward," Bella smiled, her cheeks blooming red.

And then, I don't know what came over me.

I didn't wait for her to give me a sign or a signal. Crazy and stupid as it sounds, I just went for it - dipping my head down, meeting her lips with mine as I felt her entire body freeze.

Almost immediately, I felt her hands leave mine. First, I took it as a sign that she was going to push me away, mentally cringing for once again overstepping my boundaries.

I was milliseconds from pulling away from her, already prepared to list out my long set of apologies, when instead of feeling her push me away, I felt her arms, in turn, wind around my neck.

_Okay, I'm not complaining at all about that turn of events. _

I felt myself smile against her lips, wrapping my arms around her small waist, automatically pulling her body closer to mine. I couldn't put into words how amazing the feel of her lips moving across mine was. In those few seconds, I felt a completeness that I'd never before felt in my life.

I know, I was sounding cheesier and cheesier by the minute, but I couldn't help the fact that Bella turned me to goo.

The kiss was slow and steady, but short, because I knew that if given more time, I would've definitely deepened it. And it was _way_ too soon for me to do that – that, I knew for sure.

Resting my forehead against Bella's, I kept my eyes closed as I got my breathing under control. I heard the sound of her quiet exhaling, causing me to open my eyes a few moments later.

My eyes roamed over her face, memorizing the delicate features while her eyes remained closed, and her cheeks, tinged pink.

Blinking, as her eyes fluttered open, I suddenly felt the strong sensation that I was falling, truly feeling the intensity and depth of her chocolate brown eyes.

Then she smiled, a hint of nervousness present, "You know, I've kissed a few guys for movie roles, but there's usually no emotion in the action - at all. So, I'm not gonna lie: that was different for me."

I was all too pleased at hearing the news that I was the first guy she'd willingly kissed in real life. It was actually unbelievable that a girl as perfect as Bella Monroe had never before been with anyone in real life.

Taking a moment to digest her words, a particular part of it stuck out to me, "Wait, good-different… or bad-different?"

_Oh, God. What if I was a bad kisser?_

This caused a strong blush to take over her features as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears, "Good… really good." She laughed to herself at the end, causing a lopsided grin to take over my features at her embarrassment.

"I like your smile," Bella said, before her eyes widened, seemingly surprised that she had said what she had said out loud.

I chuckled, "Thanks. But I think I like yours a lot more." This caused her to blush once again, averting her eyes to her ballet flats, before she pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth.

_Jesus. _I felt my eyes widen, and my thoughts jumble up, witnessing that one small action of hers.

_God, she would never know the effect that she had on me. _

"We should probably go back inside, huh?" Bella sounded disappointed, speaking up after a minute of silence. I realized with a jolt that everyone was probably wondering why we were both taking so long – if they weren't too wrapped up in the movie, that is.

If I was being honest, I didn't want to go back. Back to the movie, back to reality. What if things just got weird after this? What if she regretted everything that was said and done?

_No. That wouldn't happen. Her feelings couldn't just disappear like that. _At least, that's what I thought, since mine sure as hell couldn't.

"Yeah, we should," I pulled away; ready to lead us back to the theatre.

But somehow, something stopped me, and before my mind could actually process what was happening, I was asking:

"Bella, will you go out on a date with me?" at first, I wanted to smack my head against a wall for being so forward. But thinking about it, I _had_ just admitted to the fact that I had feelings for her, after which, proceeded to kiss her without her permission.

_Boy, weren't the manners my parents raised me with going straight out the window._

So really, asking her out wasn't me being more forward than I already had been. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I realized what a great idea it had been for me to ask. You know, unless she told me 'no'. Then it was the stupidest idea I'd ever come up with.

I knew that going out on a date with Bella would definitely allow me to think of her definitely as more than a friend. Not that I was one for labels, but I had to admit that the sound of me 'dating' Bella had a nice ring to it.

Bella, I noticed, had gone motionless in her spot after my proposition, and I momentarily worried if my previous anxieties had been true.

What if what she really wanted was to keep this quiet? I mean, I knew that she was a private person, but I didn't know the true extent to it.

_Ugh, stop thinking, Cullen. You're going to give yourself a headache. _

The fact that I was having a conversation with myself inside my head was slightly frightening, and I thanked the Heavens that no one could read my mind right now.

"I'd like that," Bella nodded a few seconds later, a smile playing across her lips.

I had almost forgotten the question - what with all of my inner conversations - but upon hearing her answer, I soon snapped back into reality.

"_Really_?" I clarified, not meaning to sound so incredulous at her answer. But c'mon, could you really blame me? This whole thing was feeling more and more like a dream. Ever since getting to know Bella, I had completely forgotten who she actually was.

So, really thinking about it: the girl that I've been crushing on for – I don't know – my whole _life_; who I never thought I'd get the chance to even _see_, let alone _meet_, wanted to go out with me.

I mean, come _on_. I was almost convinced that I was stuck in a daydream or something.

My flustered behavior seemingly caused her to giggle, and I momentarily forgot where I was, hearing that melodic sound. I blinked, trying to clear my head.

_She seriously had me wrapped around her little finger. _

"Yes, _really. _Why wouldn't I?" Bella smiled, as I instinctively, but gently pulled her hand into mine, kissing the back of it as she froze. I held back a smirk as a blush took over her cheeks and neck. I'm not going to lie, it gave me a certain rush realizing that I could get such a reaction out of her with such simple words and actions.

It almost made me think that she was as affected by me as I was by her. _Almost, being the key word. _

Startling her even more, I turned, keeping her hand grasped firmly in mine as I led her back inside, into the movie theatre.

I knew that we would soon be interrogated by the rest of our friends - it was inevitable.

But oddly, I was okay with that.

I was getting to take the girl of my dreams out on a date, and to me, nothing else mattered. In fact, I already knew just the place to set the date; I could only hope that Bella liked the setting as much as I did.

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**A/N: Sorry for the wait! Having no Wi-Fi at home is aggravating. But thankfully, I got a break from school today and decided to post the chapter whilst at my dad's office. **

**Hope you guys enjoyed it! And if any of you were wondering, I did some tweaking to Chapters 2 and 6. Nothing major, but you're free to re-read both chapters :)**

**Thank you for reading! Please review :D**

**Xoxo**

**LoveACullen **


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you to: **_**Far-Longer-Than-Forever, Twilight RoeiSim23, wismann, anglealice, 5FreakyFingers, twilight edward twilight (Guest), Monyetta, TwiSam1989, cbmorefie, Jazzy286, TheSt0pidLamb, TwilightPixieFairy**_**, and 1 **_**Guest**_**, for reviewing.**

**The chapter goes from Bella's point of view, to Edward's by the wayyy :)**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. _

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Chapter 8

Bella 

A permanent smile was fixed on my face as Edward led me back inside the movie theatre. I was certain that nothing in the world could break my good mood, not even Rosalie's questioning eyes glancing down at mine and Edward's intertwined hands.

Thankfully, though, the rest of our friends were too busy gobbling down on snacks - eyes glued to the theatre screen - to even notice that Edward and I had returned.

_Hey, not complaining, though. _

Frankly, all I wanted to do right now was enjoy the last few minutes of this movie in quiet, uninterrupted bliss with Edward. The wide-eyed questions could wait.

I knew that I really had nothing to worry about in all of our friends finding out. I mean, from what I'd gathered over the past week, it seemed that they all enjoyed my company.

Really and truly, the only person's opinion that I was even the slightest bit anxious about was my brother's. I had no idea whether he'd be thrilled, unnerved, pissed off, or a combination of all after we told him.

Emmett and I didn't exactly have the most normal sibling relationship out there. We didn't live in the same house, or even the same state, for that matter. It wasn't a secret that we had completely different lives, though we tried to stay as close as possible regardless of it.

I knew that he cared about me a lot, but that still didn't mean that I had even an inkling as to how he was going to respond to Edward and I going out on a date.

I hadn't realized that I was outwardly projecting my anxieties, tensing up in my seat next to Edward.

In fact, I only noticed when Edward placed our hands on his lap and began rubbing soothing circles with his thumb on the back of my hand. I actually felt my shoulders slump as my entire body started to relax.

_How did he do that?_

"You alright?" Edward leaned down, whispering.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Thank you," I whispered back, smiling in the darkness. The light from the movie screen provided me with enough illumination to see Edward's face angled toward mine.

I couldn't believe how sweet and caring he was, compared to almost every other person that I knew.

And so, being the impulsive person that I was – or rather, became, around Edward – I sneakily reached up and kissed him on the cheek, in thanks.

I didn't miss the crooked grin that spread across his face as his emerald eyes glimmered.

It seemed that I had been so wrapped up in my thoughts from before, that I completely missed the ending of the movie, only now seeing the credits as the theatre started brightening.

I figured that our friends wouldn't start noticing anything different between Edward and I as yet, and a few moments later, I realized that my assumption had been right.

Rosalie kept her mouth clamped shut, not wanting to be the one that spilled the beans, causing me to like her even more as a person. Respect was truly a rare thing to find in people these days.

Meanwhile, the rest of our friends got up, commenting on the movie as they all proceeded to walk outside. Edward and I lagged behind, and I giggled as a little while later, he started swinging our hands back and forth as we walked. A beautiful smile soon graced his perfect lips as I too swung my hand along with his.

Alice looked back towards us, hearing my laughter, as we approached the Jeep.

Before, I had been wondering how Edward and I would breach the topic and tell our friends what was going on between us. But it seemed that Alice took care of that problem as her jaw dropped open, and a loud squeal escaped her lips.

I couldn't help but laugh at her excitement, as she jumped up and down on her feet, earning several curious glances from strangers, and causing Emmett and Jasper to finally turn around and see what all the commotion was about.

Both pairs of eyes immediately flew to Edward's hand grasping mine, as a blush started to form on my cheeks.

"When did this happen?" Emmett asked, immediately knowing what was going on between us. I mentally sighed, starting to tense up once again.

"During the movie. We both… needed some air," Edward nodded, beginning to trace the soothing patterns with his thumb on the back of my hand, making me feel ten times better about this oncoming conversation.

Emmett grinned, then – _wait, what?_ - at our obvious embarrassment, motioning between the two of us, "So you two like each other?"

That _was the question that he decided to ask? Really?_

If possible, my blush deepened even further as Edward rubbed the back of his neck in discomfort.

I simply nodded for the both of us.

"And you admitted it to each other already? While you both went out for some air?" Emmett plowed on, emphasizing the word 'air' as if we were lying about that part, causing me to sigh inwardly. Was he _trying_ to mortify us on purpose?

"_Yes_, Emmett," I answered, slightly irritated now.

Then Emmett burst out laughing, "Okay, good, 'cause I was actually going to explode if I had to keep looking at you two constantly flirting with each other without realizing what either of you were actually doing."

My mouth dropped open, along with just about everyone else's.

_He did _not _just…_

Then, after seeming to process exactly _what_ Emmett had said, all of our friends burst out laughing along with Emmett, as my cheeks reddened to possibly the deepest red they had ever turned.

Looking up at Edward, I saw him glancing down at me, blushing for the first time – not even remotely as blatantly as me, but still, the rosy tinge was there.

"Yeah, I can't say I'm surprised by all of this," Jasper shrugged, agreeing with Emmett.

"I totally called it, but I'm so happy they finally admitted their feelings to each other. You guys are so _cute _together!" Alice squealed, continuing to bounce in happiness.

"Okay guys, let's just go get something to eat before these two actually die of humiliation," Rosalie laughed, and I mentally thanked her for steering the conversation away from that topic.

"Oh, great idea, babe. What do you think? Italian?" Emmett looked towards Rosalie, rubbing his stomach, embracing the change of topic simply because it had to do with food.

_Ugh, figures._

"I don't know, I just had, like, two days ago," Alice replied, as we all piled into the Jeep.

I turned towards Edward, responding to everything that had just ensued, "_Un_believable." The rest of the group was too busy discussing possible options for food to pay any heed to our conversation.

I was still recovering from how that whole conversation had turned out. It had definitely been the exact opposite of what I had been expecting.

But then again, I didn't really _know_ what I had been expecting.

Edward squeezed my hand in his, chuckling, "Hey, at least they took it well."

I had to agree with him on that. There were so many ways that that entire conversation could've turned out badly. Emmett could've thought that it was a bad idea that we were dating.

Everyone else could've thought that we weren't a good pair. I shuddered at how awful that would've been.

Nonetheless, I was happy that no fuses had been blown with that conversation.

* * *

Edward 

Dinner had passed by relatively smoothly.

But then again, I hadn't truly been paying attention to anything besides Bella – _nothing new there_ – so I couldn't exactly tell.

We had been placed in a booth at Forks' renowned diner, with Bella and me facing each other, sitting at either end.

And so, as you could imagine, it was unbearably hard for me to tear my eyes away from her for the entire night. I had slipped up more than once, whilst skimming through the menu.

And every time she'd catch me staring at her, the most brilliant smile I'd ever seen would grace her lips, showing off her perfect, white teeth. Then, she'd blush, turning towards the rest of my friends to join in whatever conversation was going on at that point.

It was hard to describe the feelings that came along simply being around her, examining her mannerisms – the way she'd smile and her eyes twinkled, when her nose crinkled in distaste at something unpleasant, and the way she'd bite her lip whilst nervous, or pondering.

Bella wasn't a sight that I would ever tire of seeing. Nor was she a person I'd ever get bored of talking to. She surprised me with every word that escaped those soft lips.

Not to sound cocky or anything, but I was the type of person who, after spending a short amount of time with someone, could figure out their ways of thinking and responding.

But with Bella… I don't know. She wasn't easy for me to read at all.

Every time I thought I had her figured out, she'd say something to completely throw me off-guard. And I guess, that's what made her especially intriguing to me.

* * *

"I'm home," I called out once opening the front door to my house. The group of us friends had figured that we'd been neglecting our families a little too much for the past week, and had decided to call it a night after dinner at the diner.

I hadn't forgotten Emmett pulling me aside as I was getting ready to leave in my Volvo, confiding that he wished to have a word with me later on in the night if I wasn't busy.

Of course, I'd agreed, already 99% certain that he wanted to talk to me about the whole 'Bella-and-me-dating' situation.

Though he'd acted like he was nothing but cool about everything, I knew him well enough to know that there were still some things that he needed to hear from me, and I, from him.

Honestly, I didn't mind. I was prepared for whatever was going to be thrown at me - if anything was going to be thrown at me, anyway.

Bella was definitely worth any possible hassle.

My mind immediately wandered to remembering what had happened _after_ Emmett's little conversation with me.

A ghost of a smile was still present on my face:

_I watched as Emmett waved goodbye, shutting the front door behind him, as I readied myself to get going. Something told me to wait a few seconds longer, and I praised whatever it was that had caused me to do so, seeing Bella soon emerge from the front door of her house and walk towards me. _

"_So, I guess you're going home then," Bella looked down at her shoes, before looking back up at me. I didn't miss the clear sound of disappointment in her voice. _

_It was something that made me smile involuntarily – knowing that she wanted me to stay just as much as I did. _

_I wished I could spend some more time with her, but I knew that my parents were sure to get annoyed if I kept coming home at all hours of the morning, like I'd been doing a lot of, lately. _

_Even though they knew I wasn't out doing drugs or anything of that sort, they were still normal parents who worried about me from time to time. _

"_Unfortunately," I replied, taking her hands in mine, threading my fingers through hers, then unlacing them, and repeating the action. I still marveled at how soft and small her hands were in comparison to mine. _

"_I'll see you on Saturday, though," I supplied, smiling. It was Thursday today, and though I would've wanted our date to be sooner than later, I was busy on Friday – well, tomorrow - helping my mom redecorate the living room at our house. Being an interior designer and all, she was always fiddling with the décor at home. _

_I immediately saw a look of calculation flicker across Bella's face, before the meaning of my words actually dawned on her. Her mouth formed a small 'o' as I grinned, taking in all of her amusing facial expressions. _

"_What time should I be ready for?" she asked, as I leaned on the door of my car._

"_Uh, three? If that's alright?" my eyebrows creased as I asked, deciding that it would give us ample time to talk, or just hang out, before I had to bring her back home. _

"_Sounds perfect," she nodded, as I smiled, prolonging saying goodbye. _

_Bella seemed to be doing the same, not rushing to let go of my hands, as we stood there for a few more moments. _

_I sighed, not wanting to be the one to break the comfortable silence, but realizing, a few minutes later, that it really was time for me to go, "I'll see you, then." _

_Once again surprising me, she smiled in response to my goodbye, reaching up on her tip-toes and planting a kiss on my cheek, before releasing my hands. _

_I had to admit that though the feel of her lips against mine was an indescribable feeling, my heart jumped every time her lips met my cheek. _

_It was such a small action, but it still left me dazed and disoriented. _

"_Bye," I almost whispered, still a little bemused. Then, I opened the car door, getting into my Volvo, as she waved, moving back towards the front door. _

_She waited until I was out of the driveway to return inside, before shutting the door behind her, still smiling. _

_I was almost certain that I was, too. _

_Shaking my head as I exhaled, I prayed that this date with Bella on Saturday would go alright. _

_End Flashback. _

Dropping the duffel bag that I'd been using every time I spent the night over by someone else, I heard my dad call out:

"We're in the living room."

Making my way back down the stairs and into the room, I found my mom, Esme, stalking around, tapping her foot as she envisioned all of the changes she was planning on making to the room.

My dad was sitting on one of the sofas, reading an old medical journal, and so, I sat down next to him.

Looking up from the page he was reading, he began to make light conversation, "How was the movie?"

And, being the incredibly _obvious _person I was, I immediately broke out in the widest grin, thinking back to all of the great parts of the evening. You know, basically every one involving Bella.

"I'm guessing it was good, then?" my father seemed entirely entertained at how hard I was trying not to smile.

He laughed, catching my mom's attention as she finally stopped pacing the room, gauging my expression, "What's gotten you in such a good mood?"

At first, she looked amazed to see how much I was smiling, before she progressively started getting more and more wary of my sanity.

"She likes me," I made the mistake of stating, as that inevitably initiated a round of inescapable questions from my parents. Oh, how I hated the fact that happiness clouds your judgment.

_I should've just kept my mouth shut. _

But then again, keeping all of this in was kind of getting to me – it'd be a nice release to tell _someone. _I sure as hell couldn't tell Alice or Rosalie; they would immediately run to Bella, and I _really _didn't want her to find out how much I truly liked her.

And of course, Emmett and Jasper were out of the picture, because they'd both probably make fun of me. At least, I assumed they would.

"Who?" my mom asked, before gasping, "Bella?"

I'd told my mom all about the big surprise of Bella Monroe being Emmett's sister, so she was in on everything that had been happening ever since her arrival.

My dad looked more confused than ever at everything that was going on, having been out of the loop due to work. He scratched his head, "Wait, who's Bella?"

My mom immediately shushed him, a smile almost as wide as mine forming on her face as she sat down across from me, "So what happened? Did you ask her out on a date?"

I nodded, now the amused one seeing my mom acting very Alice-like.

But nevertheless, I told them what had happened, leaving out my cheesy inner thoughts and the parts that I found too special to be said out loud.

Still, my mom 'aww'ed at every single detail of the story, while my dad sat back and listened with a small smile on his face.

Ending the story at the point when I'd said goodbye to Bella, I looked to my parents to see my mom looking like she wanted to burst from sheer joy, while my dad had a subtle look of pride fixed on his face.

Any other teenager would've been awkward, going up to their room, wondering why their parents were acting so strange.

But, I knew why.

They were happy because I was happy – for the first time in years, I was _really _happy. I guess they didn't think I'd ever find someone I honestly liked and cared about - like they had found in each other.

No one had ever caught my eye or made me feel the way that I did around Bella.

And so, if she'd let me, I didn't plan on letting her go any time soon.

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**A/N: Hm. How was that? **

**If I'm being completely honest, I didn't really love this chapter. **

**My writing had just gotten so bad lately, because I've been feeling so unmotivated :/ *****sigh* but hopefully I'll get back to normal soon!**

**Anyway, are you guys excited/nervous for the upcoming conversation between Edward and Emmett? Ooooh and how about Bella and Edward's date?**

**So many things to look forward to :)**

**Please review! I love reading and responding to them. **

**Xoxo**

**LoveACullen **


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you to: **_**Far-Longer-Than-Forever, Twilight RoeiSim23, cbmorefie, crissy cullen, Monyetta, 5FreakyFingers, OnceAWildcatAlwaysAWildcat, WismannJessica, TwilightPixieFairy, **_**and **_**TwilightxHPotterxPJackson, **_**for reviewing.**

**I just wanted to thank you guys for being the most amazing readers in the entire universe. You all are so sweet and lovely! Thank you for all of the amazing reviews last chapter – they made me smile!**

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Chapter 9

Edward

My parents had gone off to bed about an hour after my conversation with them, leaving me to my own devices.

Sighing and flipping on the TV, I started skimming through the channels, searching for something to relieve me of my boredom, but unfortunately getting nowhere in that quest.

A few minutes later, I was about to turn off the TV entirely and head up to my room, when two words jumped straight out at me from the TV Guide.

It was almost automatic, scrolling down and clicking 'Bella Monroe: Live in Concert'.

_I know what you're thinking right now, and seriously, don't judge me. _

I hadn't meant to, but as soon as her image came onto the screen, the corners of my lips upturned into a small smile. Knowing that she couldn't see me from the screen, and witness how much her very existence seemed to spark a light in me, was extremely comforting.

Being around her could be so difficult at times. All I wanted to do was grin as I observed all of her quirky little mannerisms. Or kiss her senseless – yeah, that too.

She was stunning in every way possible – I couldn't explain how, she just _was. _

It wasn't even her looks that held me so captivated – though, I admit, they did play a huge role.

Bella, I'd realized, wasn't much of a conversationalist. But I felt like when she _did_ finally speak up, the things that she said were anything but dull. Rather, I could listen to her talk all day.

Or sing.

I blinked, absorbing the sound of her voice floating out of the speakers in the living room. She was talented; there was no doubt about it. Hearing her sing the lullaby-like song which she'd written for a movie soundtrack, 'Safe and Sound', I found myself wondering how it was possible for someone to sound even better live.

Let's not even go into the details of the way she looked whilst singing her heart out. Perched on top of a wooden stool, with her mahogany hair wavy and cascading down her shoulders, she was dressed in a high-low, cream dress that hugged her upper curves before flowing down to the floor. I felt all kinds of dizzy after looking over her appearance.

Not only that, but I could actually hear, as well as feel, the raw emotion in her voice as she sang. Her eyes would close briefly at particularly deep parts of the song, and every time she hit a high note, her hands would look as if they were guiding it.

It was magical, actually - watching her sing. Yet another thing I'd definitely never tire of watching her do.

I'd already guessed when I'd clicked the channel that 'Safe and Sound' was one of the last songs, if not _the_ last song I'd hear her sing for the concert documentary. I was extremely disappointed, and I wasn't even hiding it. If only I hadn't been busy earlier, I'd have seen the whole thing.

I sighed loudly. Regardless, I'd have to say that the end had definitely been incredible to watch - when thousands of screaming fans started cheering for Bella, and the most radiant smile appeared on her face. I could tell that singing for a large crowd definitely gave her a kind of satisfaction that nothing else could.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. I appreciate all of you coming out here tonight, just to see me perform. Never in a million years did I ever think that so many people would enjoy my music. Yet here I am, playing it for you all. You guys are the reason that I'm here today, and I can't thank you enough for that. Thank you, have a good night," Bella said, pure honesty shown in her body language, as she waved to the crowd.

More cheers sounded, before Bella smiled one last time as the lights dimmed.

The cameras followed her to her dressing room, where her mom and – I assumed – a few friends were waiting. Bella's mother immediately engulfed her in a hug, along with everyone else in the room, making her giggle, patting a few people on the back, "Aw."

"You were amazing. I'm so proud of you. This whole tour has gone by wonderfully," her mom said, as Bella thanked her, smiling.

Then Bella laughed, "As much as I am loving this little group hug, I'm kind of thirsty. Can I grab a water, please?"

Everyone immediately dispersed, apologizing profusely as someone handed Bella a bottle of water that she promptly started sipping on.

Sighing, she collapsed on the couch, closing her eyes for a few seconds, before opening them when someone spoke up, "Do you hear that? I can literally still hear them chanting your name." It was a guy, who Bella grinned at, before she seemed to decide to type up and send something on her phone – I assumed, a tweet to her fans.

"It's so weird to think about the fact that they're screaming for _me_. I don't think I'll ever get over that," Bella's eyebrows raised as she shook her head. After a brief amount of time passed, another one of her friends spoke up.

"So, how does it feel to be finished with the tour?" a blonde with a heavy British accent asked.

Bella bit her lip, pondering, "Obviously, I'm happy to have a little break. As much as it's a thrill going out and performing, it _does_ take its toll on me. Plus, I'm super excited to get started on writing some new stuff."

A slight pause in conversation occurred then as everyone smiled, nodding in agreement.

"How was the meet and greet?" another one of Bella's friends asked – a guy about her age with sandy colored hair.

"It was… pretty extraordinary today, actually. The cookies that we baked last night were a hit at the meet and greet. All of the fans seemed so surprised and happy – it was just the best seeing their facial expressions. Oh, but I'd have to say that the best part was when I met this eighty-something year old lady who was literally full clothed in my merchandise. I couldn't stop laughing," she giggled at the end, as everyone else laughed softly, probably picturing the ridiculous image.

"But anyway, it was great. Meeting fans before shows always keeps my nerves at bay before going out and performing. In most cases anyway," Bella corrected herself, seeming to remember an incident when a meet and greet had caused her nerves to escalate.

The guy with the sandy-coloured hair also seemed to remember this incident, as he exclaimed, "Oh yeah, the David Beckham thing!" He laughed, "That was _not_ your shining moment."

Bella frowned, as everyone in the room burst out laughing apparently recalling the infamous incident.

I'd heard something about it a few years ago, but I'd never gotten the full story, so I'd never taken it too seriously.

Apparently, the British blonde hadn't heard the full story either, leading to Bella starting off her explanation.

"When I first started singing, about two years ago, David Beckham and his entire family got tickets to one of my concerts in New York, and came to meet me before the show. I was basically hyperventilating when they all told me they were huge fans of mine and they couldn't wait to hear me in concert. I mean, this was David and Victoria Beckham we're talking about, plus their freakishly attractive kids.

"I actually started fangirling so much. I was like 'Oh my gosh, thank you! That means so much coming from such hot and talented people like yourselves'. Yes, I _actually _said that out loud. And then, as if things couldn't get any worse – when their kids asked me to autograph something for them, I don't even know what happened. My hands just spazzed, causing the pen I'd been holding to fly out of my grasp and hit Victoria Beckham square in the face. Ugh, I just - need I say more?" Bella shook her head, as I chuckled out loud, picturing the entire scene in my head.

I had to admit – the whole thing was quite hilarious.

"Oh no," the girl who'd asked for enlightenment on the story replied, covering her mouth with one hand, looking as if she felt Bella's mortification. At the same time, she looked to be fighting a smile, apparently picturing the scene in her head like I had been doing.

Bella answered, "I _know_. I'm just glad I didn't choke when I actually went out and performed, much like I'd thought I would. David Beckham and his family may have received a terrible meet and greet experience, but at least the actual concert made up for it."

Everyone in the room broke out in amused smiles at that, causing Bella to smile as well.

Then, before I knew it, everyone in the room had their eyes glued to their respective phones, the room falling dead silent.

Bella continued sipping on her water and taking deep breaths in the meantime, and I could tell that she was trying to regain her strength after a three-hour long concert. Though, I knew that the only way she could do so was by getting some much-needed rest.

I guess her mother knew that too, as she soon looked towards Bella, nodding, "Ready to go?"

Bella smiled, after a few seconds, nodding, "Yeah."

Everyone soon piled out of the room, forming a circle around Bella as they made their way outside, into a massive crowd of screaming fans and paparazzi.

Regardless of the fact that she was getting shoved around by all of the people in the crowd, she still stopped to sign a few autographs and take some pictures with fans.

And at that moment, I felt an admiration towards her that I had never before felt for anyone else in my life – besides, maybe my parents. Bella was completely selfless, and generous. The total opposite of what I'd always envisioned celebrities to be. I was absolutely amazed at how much she went out of her way just to please her fans, even amidst all of that chaos.

I couldn't help but smile when the door to the tour bus was closing, so she waved goodbye to the cameras, "Thank you for watching!"

She seemed to be the most perfect human being on the planet. But, then again, I _was_ a little biased.

I sighed as the screen faded out, and a few credits rolled, taking in all of the newfound information I'd received from that documentary.

I had already inferred that this concert was recorded late last year when Bella was touring around North and South America, promoting her second album.

Now, she was releasing her third album, probably getting ready to tour once again.

I hated to admit it, but the thought of her soon leaving to go back to her old life tore me up. I had known in the back of my mind when Bella had first arrived, that she was only technically vacationing here for a few weeks. Yet I had still allowed myself to fall for her.

Sure, we hadn't even been on a proper date with each other as yet, but even now, every time she was away from me, I felt… hollow.

Was that _normal_?

Before I could allow myself to venture any deeper into my thoughts, I felt my phone vibrate in the pocket of my jeans.

I didn't even bother to look at the Caller I.D., immediately figuring out who it was.

"You busy?" Emmett asked.

"No, my parents just went off to bed, so it wouldn't be a problem for you to come over," I answered, shutting the television off in the process.

"Okay, great. Is your front door open?" Emmett asked, as I crinkled my eyebrows in response.

"Yeah…" I answered, about to ask why he was asking me now, when he wouldn't be arriving at my house until a few minutes.

But before I could even get another word out, I heard the sound of the doorknob to my front door twisting open. A few seconds later, the door closed shut as heavy footsteps approached the living room I was currently located in.

"How long were you outside?" I asked incredulously, watching as my burly friend entered the room.

He shrugged his shoulders, "I just came. I figured you wouldn't be busy – I was just being polite by calling beforehand."

Emmett sat down on the couch across from me, placing his hands on his knees. I resisted the urge the shake my head at my friend and his unique ways.

After a few seconds of silence, I was actually pretty amazed at how Emmett didn't waste any time on beating around the bush.

"So, I think I's pretty obvious why I'm here," Emmett's dark eyebrows rose, as I nodded.

We both answered in unison, "Bella."

Emmett sighed, "Look, Edward, I think it's safe to say that I've been friends with you for practically my entire childhood. You're loyal, smart, and respectful. I honestly couldn't imagine anyone else I'd want my sister to be with."

I couldn't help it – my entire body felt like it had breathed a sigh of relief with his words.

But of course, that was short-lived.

"_But, _that doesn't change any of the things I'm about to say to you.

"So, I know that you like my sister, and it's pretty obvious that she likes you back. But, exactly how do you feel about her? I know you two haven't even gone out on a date as yet, but do you glimpse even the slightest future for the two of you?" Emmett asked, eyes boring into mine as if he was prepared to look for any sign of me lying.

I almost chuckled at his behavior, thankfully having enough self-control to hold it in, knowing that Emmett wouldn't exactly be the happiest camper in the world if I laughed in his face.

Then there was the fact that I knew that I would be acting the same way as Emmett if I were in his position – maybe even worse.

I wasn't entirely comfortable with the fact that I was about to tell Emmett about all of the things that I'd been feeling for Bella. Some things were just not meant to be shared with anyone else besides the person you were having said feelings for.

But, I knew that it had to be done. The last thing I wanted was for Emmett to disapprove of Bella and me seeing each other. Or think that I was just in this because Bella was a celebrity – because that honestly had nothing to do with my feelings for her whatsoever.

I knew without a doubt that I would still feel what I felt for Bella even if she were just another ordinary person.

I sighed, "You know that I've always had a secret crush on her, from the time she first acted in 'I Am Sam'." Emmett immediately burst out laughing, nodding, before allowing me to continue.

"But, what I feel for her isn't just what I'd feel for any other celebrity actress. Sure, she still makes me feel a little star struck every time I see her, but it goes deeper than that. Getting to know her over these few days has brought up feelings in me that I've never felt with any other girl in my life - I keep saying that, but that's only because it's true. Every time she's around me, talking to me, I feel like nothing in the world can make me happier. She's interesting, and hypnotizing, and beautiful, to me, in more ways than one," I stayed silent for a moment, as Emmett did too, eyes a little wide.

"What I'm trying to say is, I really hope this date on Saturday goes by without a hitch, because it would actually crush me to know that I can't be with her the way I want to – which is, to eventually become her boyfriend," I finished, running my hands through my hair as Emmett exhaled.

"Not gonna lie… I wasn't… expecting that," he shook his head, taking a moment to recollect his thoughts as I did the same.

"It's pretty clear to me that you're serious about Bella – more so than I'd originally thought. And I know from that long ass explanation that you wouldn't ever hurt her intentionally. But – and I'm not trying to discourage you from wanting to be with her, I just want you to look at this realistically – but, how do you plan on making it work between you two? Bella lives thousands of miles away, and has a completely different lifestyle than you," Emmett looked towards me, as my body tensed unconsciously at where he was taking this conversation.

"You think I haven't thought about that? First off, it's up to her if she even wants to make what we have serious. But if she does, then I'm willing to do anything to make it work – call her every day, visit her as often as I can. I feel like what we have is something that only comes once in a lifetime, so I don't plan on giving up on it when things get a little complicated. I'm just praying that she feels the same way as me about this whole thing," I put a hand over my forehead as I sighed, now overwhelmed with thoughts of the future.

Trying to calm down, Emmett gave me time; staying silent for possibly the longest I've ever known him to stay silent for - probably ever.

And when he spoke up next, I could tell that he truly was apologetic for having to bring that subject up, when it clearly put a lot of pressure on me, "I can't say that I know what it feels like to be in your position, so I really am sorry that I breached that subject. But I just want to make sure that you know what you're getting yourself into. And, look, friend-to-friend, I really hope it works out between you two. And I have a feeling that it will - I've never seen either of you so… glowing, before," Emmett smiled, causing my lips to upturn into a wide, appreciative smile.

I couldn't describe how overjoyed I was that Emmett was on board with me wanting to be with his sister. I'd admit that I'd been a little worried about how this conversation would play out; though I was one of his closest friends, Bella was his sister, so he obviously felt protective of her and wanted only the best for her.

"Thanks, Emmett," I nodded, keeping my show of gratitude simple. Emmett and I had never once had a conversation as serious as this one, so we both felt slightly uncomfortable afterwards, and I didn't want to make it any weirder by getting all cheesy and bromance-y.

"So, anything good on TV?" Emmett grabbed the remote control, changing the topic completely, and dissipating the previously tense atmosphere in the room.

Immediately smiling, thinking back to the part of Bella's concert documentary that I'd watched, I held in a chuckle.

I had genuinely felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders with that conversation with Emmett.

So now, all I needed to worry about was the big date.

I sighed, _Oh boy._

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**A/N: I don't know how I feel about this chapter…**

**But I hope you guys enjoyed it! **

**Just warning you guys that I might take a little while to write the next chapter – not only because it's going to be about the much awaited Bella/Edward date, but also because I have a ton of school work to do over the next two weeks. **

**Thank you for understanding! **

**Please leave me a review :)**

**Xoxo**

**LoveACullen **


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you to: **_**RoseNEmmettForever, wismann, Far-Longer-Than-Forever, TwilightxHPotterxPJackson, Twilight RoeiSim23, 55freakyfingers (Guest), cbmorefie, nidszala, adino878, michael,vandebroek, TwiSam1989, Monyetta, The Daughter of Night, twilight edward twilight (Guest),**_** and 1 **_**Guest**_**, for reviewing the last chapter. **

**I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to update, but as mentioned before, school is pretty hectic these days! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter :)**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight._

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Chapter 10

Bella

Friday, A.K.A. the day before my date with Edward, had felt like one of the longest days I'd ever had to endure in my life.

Throughout the day, I had found myself constantly wondering if it was normal for girls to be so anxious for a date, or if this extreme impatience was just the case for me. Then, I would hope for the sake of my sanity that it wasn't.

Let's not even get into how weird I felt, not seeing Edward for the entire day that day.

This had all been due to the fact that his mom had asked for his help in redecorating the living room at their house, and though I found it incredibly sweet that he seemed to be so close to his family, I had also found myself missing his company.

_God, what am I going to do when I have to leave him and go back to L.A.? _

I had been trying to avoid that constant, nagging thought, ever since I'd started developing feelings for Edward. But, it was something that I wasn't going to be able to run away from forever, what with my impending return to L.A. in the next three and a half weeks.

Honestly, I had no idea what I was going to do when it was time for me to go back home, and leave Edward behind here in Forks. Though I was 100% certain that I would do everything in my power to make it work between us, I also knew that long-distance relationships could be extremely difficult to handle.

Our case would be even worse, seeing as I had a complicated work schedule.

Shutting my eyes, I forced myself to focus on just the present for now. I was thinking way too far ahead; I mean, I didn't even know if Edward wanted 'us' to be official.

I shook my head, reminding myself to focus on my forthcoming date with Edward. Focus on choosing an outfit to wear.

It was finally Saturday, and I had only gotten up a few hours earlier to grab some breakfast and reply to a few texts from my friends.

I'd essentially been trying to keep myself busy until it was an acceptable time to get dressed. And so, after a few more minutes of killing time, I decided that it was finally time to look at the clock.

I immediately breathed a sigh of relief, _Yes, it's one o' clock, _meaning that I had ample time to sort out an outfit and be ready for my date by three.

I had brought a good bit of my closet from L.A. to Forks with me, packing most of it into the wardrobe and chest of drawers that Emmett and Charlie had set up in my room.

Judging all of the possible clothing options, my fingers trailed along the different fabrics, before stopping suddenly at a black, fitted, lace crop top that I'd recently bought at American Apparel. Finding a black, floral print high-waisted skirt to go with the top, I noted that the upper section of the skirt was formfitting, before flaring out, allowing for coverage of my midriff.

I wrinkled my eyebrows, thinking back to Edward's text and remembering that he'd suggested wearing something flat for shoes, as where we'd be going required some walking. Though I'd been itching to do so, I hadn't asked him to elaborate, figuring that he was being cryptic for a reason (one that I would find out soon, anyway).

Looking down at all of the shoes I'd brought, I decided that my red Vans would be the safest bet.

Then, finally satisfied with my outfit choice, I went over to my bathroom, beginning my dressing process by turning on the shower and basking in the warm water.

After washing my hair with my favorite strawberry-scented shampoo, I stepped out, wrapping a towel around myself.

Then, I proceeded to blow-dry my hair, opting to tie it up in a messy, mahogany bun when I was finished getting dressed. Making a quick time-check, I noted that I was pretty much on-time, seeing as it was just about half past two.

Feeling my nervousness kick in, I took a deep breath to calm myself, before going over to my dresser to work on my make-up.

Unlike a lot of the girls I knew, I avoided using too much make-up, unless I had to go to an event or something.

To me, it just wasn't necessary.

And, of course, there was the fact that I was incredibly lazy.

A dab of foundation, some black eyeliner and mascara, and light pink lip stain usually did the trick for me.

Carefully applying the various products to my face, I stood up, taking a good look at myself in the mirror. I nodded, quite pleased with the outcome, only hoping that Edward would be, too.

The weather in Forks hadn't been too bad lately, since it was summer and all. But, I knew that bringing a cardigan couldn't do any harm. So, stuffing it into my red, cross-body Chanel purse that already contained my cell phone and wallet, I slung the bag onto my right shoulder before heading downstairs.

Emmett and Charlie had already been relaxing downstairs in the living room, watching a baseball game – no surprises there. However, once I walked in, both of them seemed to sense my presence, instantaneously looking up.

_Well that wasn't creepy at all..._

Feeling incredibly awkward as they both stared me down - judging my appearance, I was sure – I cleared my throat as I raised my eyebrows, silently asking both of their opinions.

Emmett smiled, nodding, "You look great." My father, on the other hand, eyed me for one more minute, "Are you sure you want to be wearing that? You know, the weather in Forks is unpredictable these days. One minute it's warm, the next it's chilly."

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying hard not to laugh at my dad's behavior, "Already ahead of you, Dad. I brought a sweater."

I tapped the flap of my purse to emphasize my point.

Charlie seemed nonplussed, searching for something else to say, clearly having a hard time adjusting to the fact that I wasn't a little girl anymore.

"I'll be fine, Dad. I promise," I said, just as I heard the sound of a car pulling up in our driveway.

_Here come the butterflies…_

"I know, I know," Charlie sighed, before nodding, looking slightly uncomfortable as he continued, "you really do look great, Bells."

The doorbell rang a few seconds later, and Charlie's discomfort seemed to increase as he said, "Um, but, before you go, I'd like to speak with Edward, if he doesn't mind."

I could help it; the colour immediately drained from my face.

I didn't know what in the world Charlie could possibly throw at Edward during this 'talk'. After all, I hadn't technically been around my dad long enough to know how he dealt with situations like these.

But, knowing that this was something that was going to be done some time or another, I reluctantly nodded, "Sure," before going over to answer the door.

I think that it was a combination of the fact that I hadn't seen him in a day, and the fact that he was looking unusually handsome that caused my breath to catch in my throat upon noting the sight of Edward. He was dressed neatly in a navy blue polo, jeans, and black and white converse, towering over me even when I was on a higher plain. His gaze had been averted to the ground as his hands were stuffed in his pockets, but upon seeing the door open, he immediately looked up.

I basically had to bite my lip to keep the smile off my face when I saw Edward's eyes widen as he gave me a once-over His mouth opened, before closing, then opening again.

"You look beautiful, Bella," Edward seemed to gather his thoughts before speaking.

Blushing, I thanked him, "You don't clean up too bad yourself." This earned a grin from Edward, and I smiled along with him, almost forgetting Charlie's request.

At the last minute, I remembered, "Um, my dad wants to talk to you before we go. Is that alright?" I asked, wary, as Edward coughed, before slowly nodding.

I could tell that he was nervous as he stepped over the threshold, spotting my dad and Emmett on the living room sofa.

So, instinctively, I took Edward's hand in mine, surprising him when I squeezed it, before releasing it.

I knew that that small action had meant a lot to him, as he gave me an appreciative smile, looking down at me, as I smiled right back.

Then, as Edward slowly walked into the living room, Emmett instantly stood up from his spot on the couch, leading me into the kitchen to allow my father and Edward some privacy as they talked.

* * *

It was one of the hardest things for me, trying not to eavesdrop when my father and Edward were right next door. But thankfully, Emmett allowed for some distraction.

"So do you know where he's taking you?" my brother asked, opening a bag of Doritos, stuffing chip after chip into his mouth.

I frowned, "No, actually. He didn't say. Why? Do you?"

My question resulted in my brother shrugging as he shook his head, "Nope."

_Great. Well, he was no help. _

"But I wouldn't worry too much. Anything that Edward does turns out amazing. Heck, whenever I get stumped for ideas for dates with Rosalie, Edward helps me come up with something that she always ends up loving," Emmett reassured me, even though I hadn't even been worried in the first place.

Having heard no shouting, or doors slamming, I assumed that the conversation with Charlie was going well for Edward. I knew from past words that Charlie genuinely thought Edward was a good guy, but I also know that sometimes, when you throw your daughter into that whole picture, things can change.

Approximately two minutes and thirty-four seconds later – yes, I was so anxious that I _counted _- Edward entered the kitchen, greeting Emmett before turning towards me, "Ready?"

I unconsciously grinned, inferring from that question that everything with him and my father had gone smoothly, "Yup."

Emmett looked towards Edward before looking towards me, "I'm trusting you to take care of her."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, instead, trying to see this whole situation from my brother's perspective, and hoping that Edward did too.

"I won't disappoint," Edward said, startling both Emmett and myself with the amount of conviction in his voice.

_Could I kiss him now, or?_

We both said a quick goodbye to Charlie, before Edward led me out the front door, shocking me when he opened the passenger door of his Volvo for me.

I mean, being a celebrity and all, I was quite used to being treated like royalty. However, with friends, and even on previous dates, not one person had held the door open for me. This was pretty alien.

As Edward shut the driver's side door, starting the engine, I asked, "So, how did it go?"

Edward looked towards me, pondering as he pulled out of the driveway, "Um, I'd say it went well. He didn't ask me anything, or tell me anything that I hadn't been expecting."

I knew that it wouldn't exactly be the best way to start off the date by asking what 'anything' included, but at the same time, I couldn't help the nervous knots that were forming in my stomach.

"He didn't scare you too much, did he?" I tried not to sound as apprehensive as I felt, but Edward saw right through me. It honestly never failed to surprise me when he seemed to know exactly what I was thinking.

"If you're asking if my feelings have changed... then no," as if to prove his point even further, he took one of my hands in his, squeezing it, as he smiled, steering with his free hand to our destination.

I couldn't keep the goofy smile off my face as Edward sped off to wherever he was taking us, never once releasing my hand during that time.

"So, where are we going?" I tried to ask nonchalantly, as I saw Edward smile out of my peripheral vision.

"You'll see," I clearly heard the cockiness in his voice, as I groaned.

"Have I ever told you how much I really _don't_ like surprises?" I whined, as Edward full on laughed at my childishness.

"Well, I promise you'll like this one… hopefully," he seemed to mutter under his breath at the end.

Realizing that I wasn't going to get anything out of him any time soon, I gave up after a short while, deciding to instead relish in the comfortable silence that filled the ride.

I'd never before felt so… at ease. With anyone else, conversation would be absolutely necessary to fill any gaps in the conversation.

But then again, Edward wasn't just _anybody_ to me.

* * *

Flying down the highway, we seemed to leave the city (or what you can consider an urban area in Forks) behind us. All the while, I kept thinking of all of the possible places that Edward could be taking me.

I had come to the conclusion that we were going to a park of some sorts, feeling that it made the most sense. We would be walking around a lot in a park; we'd be dressed appropriately, etc.

So you could basically envision my surprise when Edward made a few turns, moving entirely off the highway, and coming to a stop in front of… a forest.

Yes, you heard right. A forest. As in, shrubbery, trees, nature, wildlife; basically all that you think of when you hear the word 'forest'.

Edward came around to my side, opening the door for me once again, and offering his hand to help me out. All the while, he gauged my reaction to the setting.

My mouth was slightly agape as I searched for the right words to say. Luckily, Edward swooped in with, "You're surprised."

He wasn't asking.

I nodded, showing my confusion.

"Are you scared?" he continued, looking even more carefully at my expression.

I laughed nervously, "I'm not gonna lie. When I picture a guy taking a girl out into the forest, I immediately think of a horror film… one in which the girl usually dies."

Edward was completely amused at my answer, trying to hide it as he settled for a sheepish smile, "Do you think I'm gonna kill you?"

I couldn't help but laugh at his ridiculous question, "Of course not, but can you at least give me a hint as to where we're going? _Please_?" I jutted my bottom lip out slightly, and watched as Edward's eyes seemed to glaze over.

He stuttered, "Uh, um," making a wide grin sweep across my face. Had I just made Edward Cullen stumble for words, just by pouting?

He closed his eyes briefly, "I can't tell you where exactly we're going. It's really just something you have to see for yourself. But I can tell that we're going to be hiking for a few minutes, to get to the place."

I didn't hide my disappointment at his answer, making him smile apologetically at me. But although I wasn't completely satisfied with his response, at least now I understood his reasoning behind not telling me. So, I decided to clamp my mouth shut, motioning with my hand to the looming woods, "Lead the way."

Edward was surprised, to say the least, that I was being so willing, giving me one more look as if to say, "Are you sure?"

I only nodded, smiling at how thoughtful he was. I honestly couldn't believe how much he took my feelings into account. More so than my own mother.

Edward grasped my hand in his, tugging me forward, thereby beginning our relatively short trek into the woods. He kept a slow pace so as to allow my legs to keep up with his much longer ones, and after a few minutes, I finally understood why he'd hinted that I wore sneakers: heels and dirt did _not_ mix.

Edward kept a solid grip on my hand, preventing me from falling every time I tripped over a stray root, or even just thin air – which, mind you, happened a lot. If it wasn't for his attention and care as he helped me through the woods, I definitely would've come out of this date with heaps of bruises.

I had just been getting mildly used to the walk, when I suddenly felt Edward slowly come to a stop next to me. Then, he moved in front of me, blocking my path, making me arch an eyebrow.

His emerald eyes seemed to bore into mine, making me light-headed as he asked, "Do you trust me, Bella?"

I blinked, thrown by his out-of-the-blue question, but at the same time, not needing to think about it as I answered, "Yes."

Odd as it was, I had only known Edward for a week, yet I trusted him more than I trusted some of my closest friends.

Edward couldn't seem to hide his thrill at my answer, lips upturning as he requested that I close my eyes.

Knowing that it would look like a fraud if I didn't, having just stated that I trusted him, I followed his instructions, feeling Edward's hands slip out of mine, as he moved away from me.

Not knowing what to expect at this point, I almost jumped when I felt his hands on my waist, lips by my ear, "Just move in the direction that I guide you in, okay?"

I felt like I wouldn't be able to manage out any words without potentially embarrassing myself, so instead, I settled for nodding, unable to control my shiver as I felt his breath tickle my ear.

I heard Edward chuckle under his breath at my reaction, before gently moving me forward. I had walked about twelve paces in the same direction, before turning right, and walking four more, until at last, Edward held me in place, telling me that I could stop walking.

"Okay, now, open your eyes," Edward commanded, stepping back.

I did as I was told, unable to control the gasp that escaped my lips as I took in the scene in front of me.

A clearing filled with lush-green grass and multicolored flowers - lilacs, daisies, freesias, lavender, you name it.

I stepped forward, jaw to the floor as I observed how the trees seemed to encase this meadow in a perfectly wide circle, also providing a perfect canopy if rain happened to fall.

As if everything hadn't been impeccable already, I noticed that Edward had already set out a picnic cloth, and basket in the middle.

I turned around to face him, voicing my thoughts, "Edward, this is incredible."

His eyes had already been fixed on me as he had been casually leaning against a tree trunk.

Upon realization of this, I blushed, as he smiled, walking forward.

"I'm glad you like it," Edward took my hands in his, rubbing a thumb along my palm.

"I was worried that you wouldn't," I heard the honesty in his voice as his eyes met mine.

"I love it here," I assured him, before pulling him to sit down with me on the laid-out cloth. He chuckled at my enthusiasm, sitting with his knees pulled up, as I sat across from him, cross-legged.

"How'd you find this place?" I was curious to know how he'd managed to stumble across this magnificent meadow, figuring that there would be an interesting story to go along with it.

Edward's eyebrows seemed to crinkle in deep thought, before he explained, chuckling a bit, "Well, when I initially moved here from Chicago, I was eleven, and very much immature. I'd been really upset over the move, having just made a great group of friends back in Chicago. So, on my second day here, while my parents were still unpacking, I decided I'd run away."

My eyes immediately widened, as I held in a gasp.

"My house isn't too far from here, actually. So I planned on walking through the woods, onto the highway, and grabbing a taxi to take me to the airport so that I could fly back to Chicago. I obviously didn't make it too far in my plan. As soon as I found this place, I was pretty much in awe. I just sat here, thinking, and thinking. And I realized after about an hour, how stupid I was for trying to run away."

Edward laughed, as I smiled along with him.

"I went back to my house, shortly after that small revelation. And thankfully, my parents had only just taken a break from unpacking to make dinner. In other words, they hadn't yet realized that I'd been gone, which is great because I would've been grounded for life if they had," Edward made a face, as I burst out laughing.

After we both calmed down, Edward offered me some fruits that he'd packed in the picnic basket, which I gladly accepted.

Whilst popping a green grape into my mouth, I asked, "Did you ever end up telling your parents?"

Edward smiled a little, "Yeah, about a month later, I told them that I'd tried to run away. But I never told them what had stopped me."

This confused me, propelling me to ask, "Wait. So they don't know about this place?"

Edward looked straight into my eyes, giving me a look of utter seriousness, "No. I made a promise to myself that it'd be my secret place to just come and think whenever I felt overwhelmed with anything. No one else knows about it.

He took a deep breath, looking straight into my eyes now.

"But, a few days ago, I decided that I wanted to share it with someone else," he finished softly, as a warm feeling spread throughout my entire body.

It meant the world to me that he was sharing something so important to him, with me.

I didn't know what else to do but reach across and plant my lips firmly onto his.

It was impulsive, so Edward, naturally, was startled at first. However, he soon recovered, a second later, moving his soft lips in sync with mine as I sighed.

It wasn't long before my fingers threaded through his silky, bronze hair, tugging him closer, and causing him to do something that I hadn't been expecting at all.

Edward's tongue slid out of his mouth, moving across my bottom lip gently, asking for permission to enter. It felt like second nature, opening my mouth for him, allowing his tongue to tangle with my own as I resisted my urge to sigh. It had felt like getting a taste of Heaven, French-kissing Edward. His mouth was sweet, tasting even better than I'd always pictured it to taste.

As out lips continued to move eagerly against each other, Edward's hands found their way onto either side of my waist, attempting to pull my body closer to his.

But this had proved to be a mistake, as it caused Edward to lose his stance, leaning back until he made contact with the ground, taking me with him so that I landed on his chest with an 'oomph!'. Instantly, we broke apart, laughing, at the same time, recovering from that amazing kiss which had left us both breathless.

Catching our breath, I attempted to carefully move myself off of Edward, figuring that my lying down on his chest would prove to be quite annoying after a while.

"Where do you think you're going?" Edward asked, using a hand to keep my body in place, making my cheeks flame.

"Aren't you uncomfortable?" I asked, as Edward vigorously shook his head.

"Are you?" he asked, this time, sounding concerned.

I only shook my head in response, sheepishly admitting that I wasn't, making Edward smile, "Good... then, stay."

"Okay," I whispered, placing both hands on his chest, and resting my chin on them, simply gazing at Edward, as he stared right back. I was close enough that I could feel his cool breath fanning across my face. Close enough to kiss him again.

I don't know what compelled me to do it, but a few seconds later, I found myself reaching out with a hand, tracing the features of his face delicately with my index finger.

At first, Edward's eyes remained fixed on me, but as my finger moved down to his nose, I saw his eyes flutter shut as he sighed peacefully. Trailing my finger below his eyes, down to his jaw, it finally met his lips as a slow smile spread across his face.

It was in that moment that I realized that I was falling for him, faster and deeper than I imagined possible. It was scary, but exhilarating.

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**A/N: Again, really sorry for the long wait. **

**I hope that I won't have to make you guys wait that long again… but I feel like it's only inevitable with the way school is going these days. **

**Anyway! Please leave me some feedback in the form of a review :) Was this good, bad, mediocre? **

**Thank you!**

**Xoxo**

**LoveACullen **


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you to: **_**cbmorefie, HarryHermioneEdwardBella, anglealice, TwiSam1989, twilight edward twilight (Guest), The Daughter of Night, Twilight RoeiSim23, Monyetta**_**, and **_**TwilightPixieFairy**_**, for reviewing.**

**Edward's point of view!**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight._

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Chapter 11

Edward

It had felt like minutes that we simply sat in the meadow, talking, and enjoying each other's company.

Of course, in reality, it had ended up being around three hours.

Bella had moved to lie beside me, turning and cuddling into my chest.

I had never before felt so comfortable, yet adrenaline-induced in the company of just one person.

On the one hand, I felt like I could spend hours talking to Bella about anything and everything, and she would completely understand – that's the comfortable part.

But on the other hand, I couldn't ignore the rush it gave me every time she smiled, or laughed, or brushed her hand against mine, let alone her whole body – that's the adrenaline-induced part.

And though I would've liked to stay there in that meadow, where it had honestly felt like Bella and I were the only ones that existed in that moment, I knew that I had to take her back home. As much as I wanted to be selfish and spend every waking second I had with her, I knew that I couldn't.

Not only because it was unfair to her, but also because Emmett would probably beat the crap out of me.

Or Charlie.

I mentally cringed at that thought.

Truthfully, our conversation before the date had gone by better than I had expected. No angry threats were made. No gunshots fired.

I frankly thought that that was an accomplishment.

But then again, I knew how highly Chief Swan thought of me, seeing as I had been "such a good influence on Emmett" in the years that I had known him.

His words, not mine. Though I have to admit that Emmett had been even more of a wild card before I'd befriended him.

But basically, the gist of Charlie's conversation with me had involved him asking me how serious I was about Bella. In response, I had confessed that she made me feel an indescribable amount of happiness just by her presence. I didn't know how to describe the way I felt about her, simply because it wasn't something that words could possibly convey. I just felt more… myself when I was with her.

Charlie had, similar to Emmett, been completely floored by that response, not really knowing how else to react than gape at me like a fish out of water. Maybe he had believed that I was only in it for her looks, or her status, expecting my response to be, "I don't know, man. She's hot."

Or maybe he just hadn't been expecting me to be so brutally honest.

But I was.

When it came to the subject of Bella, it almost felt like words came spewing out of my mouth before I could really take a moment to think about the question.

Regardless, at least now I knew that Chief Swan understood that I had absolutely no intentions to use his daughter in any way. What I felt for her was genuine, completely unaffected by her fame; slightly affected by her looks (hey, just being honest here).

Yes, I'd always had a crush on Bella, even before we'd met.

She was beautiful; she seemed smart, and kind. How could I _not_ like her?

But in these few days, actually meeting her and getting to know her, I knew that there was so much more to her than a pretty face, and having a talent for singing and being in front of the camera.

Even if she hadn't been Bella Monroe, I still would've felt a pull towards her. There was no question about it.

But, getting back to the topic of mine and Charlie's talk, after recovering from my answer, he had fired a few more questions at me, which I had answered carefully, but openly, before getting down to the more serious stuff.

"Bella's life is anything but normal… I'm sure you already know that. She's always going and going and going, but that's only because she never wants to disappoint anyone. You two are only dating, I know, but I want to you to understand that if you two continue to see each other, when she gets back to living her life in L.A., you can't expect too much from her.

"She always pushes herself too hard for people that she cares about – her fans, her friends, her family. She's already spreading herself so thin with her career. A boyfriend might be difficult to add to that picture. So just be patient if, sometimes, she can't return your calls. Believe me, she'll try. But sometimes it's going to be too stressful for her."

I had absorbed every single word of his explanation, nodding as I had done so.

I knew that Charlie wasn't trying to deter me from pursuing a relationship with his daughter, but rather, prepare me for what was in store for me if I did. And I appreciated it wholeheartedly.

I needed to know everything I possibly could, in order to make it work between Bella and me.

Because I really wanted to. Make it work, I mean.

As our conversation had drawn to a close, Charlie had finished by clapping me on the back, "I don't want to inflate your ego or anything, Edward. But I'm glad that you're the one that she's decided to give a chance to. I don't think I would've liked it very much if she was dating that celebrity, Jacob what's-his-face."

I'd chuckled at that, thanking Charlie for his approval, and for everything that he'd told me. I had to admit that it was a lot to take in, all at once, but… it was worth it – for Bella.

Sliding back into the present now, I looked down at Bella's still form, cuddled into my side.

I was currently lying on my back with one arm around her, gently stroking her hair, while her eyes were closed. I knew that she wasn't sleeping from the way her breaths weren't yet regulated; she was simply enjoying the silence.

I was, too.

But, unfortunately, I was going to have to break this moment if I wanted to continue to have Emmett and Charlie's consent to date her. After all, it was slowly approaching half past seven, and I had promised her family that I'd have her home by eight.

"Bella," I murmured, continuing to lightly stroke her hair.

"Hmm?" she replied, a smile playing on her lips, as her eyes remained closed.

"We should go," I informed her, causing her eyelids to flutter open as she sighed.

Once again, I felt myself slowly forgetting everything around me, as I looked into her warm, brown eyes.

"I know," she replied softly, brushing her fingers across my cheek lightly.

At this rate, I was never going to have the resistance to leave; not with her eyes smoldering mine, and her hands in contact with my cheek.

Thankfully, _she_ had self-control.

With a grin, Bella retracted her hand, stopping all previous motions, before smoothly sitting up. She looked back at me, a smile still playing on her plump lips, legs folded underneath her.

It was almost unbelievable to me, how effortlessly radiant she looked. Her hair had come undone from the bun it had been tied up in, falling down her back in dark brown waves. I felt like my heart stopped beating when I saw her smile.

Snapping out of my reverie, we both got up, joining hands as we made our way back to my car. A few seconds down the trail, Bella's foot caught hold of a stray tree root, awakening my reflexes as my hands shot out, encircling her waist, and preventing her from falling to the ground.

I hadn't known how clumsy she was until this date, which had clearly been a test for her coordination. Crazy and weird as it was to say, I was kind of glad of this fact.

After all, it gave me an excuse to hold her small body in my arms every few minutes. Even better was the fact that she happened to be wearing a crop top, which showed just an inch of her midriff. So, every time I caught her mid-fall, my hands always seemed to graze her bare skin – which might I add, was extremely soft and smooth.

A few more minutes of walking later, we were finally out of the woods, and back onto open road.

Opening the door for Bella, she thanked me before settling in. Shortly after, I walked around to my side, hopping in before starting the engine, hearing it purr softly.

Then, I proceeded to make my way down the few side roads I'd taken to get to the meadow, back onto the highway, unconsciously turning on the stereo in the car while doing so.

As soon as I heard the sound of Debussy floating through the car, I felt the urge to do a face palm, _Oh God, now Bella's going to think I'm a loser who listens to classical music in their spare time. _

Admittedly, she was going to be completely correct if she assumed that.

Just as my hand reached out to switch the dial to Radio, I felt Bella's warm hand touch mine.

"Please, don't change it. This is _Clair de Lune_, right? I love this piece," she spoke up, as I felt my eyebrows shoot up to my hairline.

"You like classical music?" I asked, not concealing my surprise. I looked over to her just as we stopped at a red light.

Blushing, she tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, "Yeah.

"My mom went through a phase when I was younger, where she'd gotten really interested in classical music. She'd play Beethoven, and Debussy all around the house. After a few months, she kind of fell out of it. But, I never did," Bella smiled, just as the light turned green, and I continued on, cruising down the highway.

"That's cool. I mean, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who actually likes this type of music," I replied, as I saw her smile sweetly out of the corner of my eye.

And that was how the rest of the ride passed by: Bella and I simply sat in silence, with her observing all of the passing scenery out of the window, and me occasionally glancing at her whilst driving.

We had managed to arrive at her house in record time, 7:54. The sky had darkened considerably on our way back, going from a light pink, gradually growing darker and darker until the stars could be seen very clearly in the stark, night sky.

I moved out, opening the passenger door for Bella once again, shaking my head as she thanked me for doing so – it was common courtesy to open the door for someone, after all - before walking her to the front door. I could hear the light hum of the TV playing in the living room, and assumed that Charlie and Emmett had decided to wait for us to come home.

"Thank you - for taking me out tonight. I really had a wonderful time," Bella looked up at me, her cheeks turning a light pink colour.

I shook my head, once again thinking that she was too polite, "You don't need to thank me. I'm just glad that you liked the meadow just as much as I do."

Sighing, we continued to stand there for another few seconds, as I ran my fingers through my hair. _Now, it was time for the hard part. _

"Do you- um, maybe, want to do this again sometime?" I asked, trying to reestablish the confidence I had lost by stumbling, by making eye contact with her.

What if she didn't want to go on any more dates with me? What if she'd decided that she didn't want to continue seeing me?

I tried to push away those daunting thoughts, convincing myself that if she hadn't wanted to see me again, that she would've made that fact pretty obvious during our date. Instead, she had kissed me, and openly lied down beside me.

Surely, that had to mean _something_.

I took a deep breath, trying to prepare myself for her reaction, just as I saw the brightest smile appear on Bella's face. Even looking into her eyes, I could tell that this was genuine delight hat she was projecting.

She bit her lip, nodding, "I'd really love that, Edward."

Reaching up on her tiptoes, she aimed to kiss me on the cheek. But after hearing that she actually wanted to continue dating me, my excitement took over and I moved my head just in time for her lips to meet mine.

_There go my manners, once again. _

Bella didn't seem shocked in the least bit at my forwardness, instead, smiling against my lips as her hands wound around my neck. It felt so _right _when her arms went to my neck, and her fingers threaded through my hair.

My hands immediately wrapped around her waist, as I moved my lips eagerly in time with hers.

I felt Bella sigh against my lips just as my tongue made its way into her mouth, savoring its pure, sweet taste. My tongue danced with hers, and I resisted the urge the groan out loud at the feeling of pleasure that kissing Bella like this gave me.

All too soon, she pulled away from lack of air, breathing heavily as I pressed my forehead against hers, panting along with her.

I smiled, brushing my knuckles along her red cheeks, noting how swollen her lips currently looked.

She bit her lip, brown eyes gleaming as she stared into my eyes, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

The hope in her voice just about made my night, and I grinned crookedly, "I'll be here at noon. See you."

Just on a whim, I brushed my lips against hers, pulling away a second later.

"Sweet dreams, Bella," I whispered, an inch away from her lips, as her eyes widened, lips parting.

She seemed frazzled as I walked back towards my car, and I couldn't help but feel a slight sense of accomplishment at that.

I always found it hard to believe that someone so gorgeous and seemingly intangible could like a guy as ordinary as me, until I found moments where Bella stuttered, or fumbled at the little things that I did. She really boosted my self-confidence when she reacted like that.

Bella waved, still looking slightly disoriented, as I got into my car. Chuckling lightly, I waited until she shut the door behind her before peeling out of her driveway, and heading towards my home.

Throughout the drive, I could feel the smile that had been permanently fixed on my face whilst in Bella's company, slowly fading away. I found myself wishing that I didn't have to go home, or that Bella's family wouldn't miss her if I took her away, and spent the night with her.

Innocently, of course.

All I wanted to do was hold her in my arms, and maybe kiss her a little in between.

I just wanted to be with her, in the simplest ways possible.

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**A/N: So this was short compared to the last one :)**

**I was going to add more, but I decided to leave it for the next chapter. You know, prolong the story a bit more lol.**

**How was this, though? It was meant to be a little filler chapter, not with anything huge in it, really, so I understand if it was a bit boring. **

**Still, I'd appreciate your feedback in the form a review!**

**Xoxo**

**LoveACullen **


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